-

Vols 31 amp 32 Sardha - Satabdi 1956 amp 57

Special Volume

of

JOURNAL

OF THE ~

ASIATIC SOCIETY OF BOMBAY

( New Series)

Board of Editors

P V KANE H D VELANKAR

J M UNVALA GEOE~GE M MORAES

Q~ C )HAt

Published by the SQciet

June 1959

London Agents

ARTHUR PROBSTHAIN 41 Great Russell Street

London W c 1

STUDIES IN THE HISTORY OF TAMBOLA~USE OF LIME (CDRNA) AND CATECHU (KHADIRA) IN TAMBOLA AND ITS ANTIQUITY - cAD 100-1900

By P K GODE

After my paper1 on the history of Indian Nut-Cracker (AD 1300-1800) was published a friend of mine suggested that I should write a paper on the history of the lime-pot used for keeping lime or chunam by persons who eat tiimbula a combination of the betelshynut betel-leaf catechu and other spicy ingredients I agreed to this suggestion and began to hunt up references to lime-pot in literary sources known to me Unfortunately in the material about tiimbula collected by me I could not locate any definite references to the lime-pot as such though we have reason to believe in the existence of some lime-pot since our ancestors began to use chunam or lime as an ingredient of tiimbuia It is therefore necessary to prove the antiquity of lime (= cur1Ja in Sanskrit) as used in tiimbula as also of catechu (=Kat in Marathi) as the combination of the chunam and catechu in the mouth reddens the mouth of the person chewing tambula2

(1) Raghuffitha Pal)Qita in his Rlijavyavahiirakosa (cAD 1676) refers to lime as (Ofr ( ~T ifHf ~~ltlal]~) and lime-pot as ~Ilti ( ~~ ~~a ~diqrnfl )as I have already pointed out in any paper on the Nut-Cracker referred to above

(2) The Marathi Dictionary called the $abdakosa (by Y R Date and C G Karve Vol Ill p 1210) records the following words for lime-pot shy

~(]j ~ ~ifl~

and derives them from Sanskrit of + an~ ( =tIl1I~) = ~Ql~ of the Riijavyavahiimkosa So far I have not traced any usages of the toTql~ Oi ~~ in the Sanskrit sources

1 Bharata ItihJasa Mandal Quarterly Poona 1948 pp 8middot14

2 Cakrap~inatha in his Bhiivopahiira (Kashmir Sanskrit Series No 14 Srinagar 1918 pages 36-37 ) refers to liimbitla in the following stanza 39shy

C ~~~~iflifra irlTnq51~~T~~~ I

~Ji~~~q~~~fu ClT+t~ ~ ~~ 11 ~ Q 11

The commentary of Ramyadeva Bhatta on this stanza explains tiimbula

as a~~~~TtR~cr This etymolQgy of tombula needs to be examined It is indeed highly imaginative

SS -5

66 P K GODE

The Sabdakosa does not record any usages for the words about lime-pot referred tD above

(3) The habit of chewing the tiimbula is current in IndoshyChina This habit has a great antiquity as I am informed by my friends at Hanoi one of whom has sent me a version of a story about its origin which I am appending to this article Consistent with this tradition is the discovery of a lime-pot at Thanh-hoa (in Northern Annam) by O R T Janse who led an expedition to IndoshyChina and the Philippines and published his report on it in the Harvmd Journal oj Asiatic Studies (June 1941) A photograph of this lime-pot will be found on Plate XXV This lime-pot is one of the articles of the Sung and Ming dynasties discovered by janse Prof P K Mukherji in his Indian Literature in China and the Far East Calcutta 1931 records the following chronology of tile Sung ana Ming dynasties in his list of the Translators of the Chinese Tripitaka - (Pages 3-4) - Later (Northern) Sung dynasty AD 960-1127 Kaifung (Honan) -Southern Sung dynasty-AD 1127shy1280- Ming dynasty-AD 1368-1644 It is not clear from janses Report whether the lime-pot belongs to the Sung or the Ming dynasty We may however conclude that it belongs to the period AD 960shy1644 and hence cannot prove the use of lime in tiimbula in IndoshyChina prior to AD 960

(4) In the article on ChW(Im in the Hobson-Jobson (by Yule and Burnell London 1903 pp 218-219) we get the following dated references to the use of lime in tiimbUla shy

AD 1510-And they also eat with the said leaves (betel) a certain lime made from oyster shells which they call cionama

-Vmthema 144

AD 1563- So that all the names you meet with that are nDt Portuguese are Malabar such as betre (betel) chuYx1 whiGh is lime

-Garcia fol 37g

AD 1610- Chunan -Pyrard de Laval ii 84 (Hak Sac 11 135)

AD 1614-Having burnt tileJ great idol into Chunah he mixshyed the powdered lime with pan leaves and gave it to the Rajputs that they might eat the object of their worship

-Ferishto quoted by QUXlrtremere Not et Ext XIV 510

AD 1673-The natives chew it (betel) with Chinam (lime IIf Calcind Oyster Shells)

-Fryer 40

66 P K GODE

The Sabdakosa does not record any usages for the words about lime-pot referred tD above

(3) The habit of chewing the tiimbula is current in IndoshyChina This habit has a great antiquity as I am informed by my friends at Hanoi one of whom has sent me a version of a story about its origin which I am appending to this article Consistent with this tradition is the discovery of a lime-pot at Thanh-hoa (in Northern Annam) by O R T Janse who led an expedition to IndoshyChina and the Philippines and published his report on it in the Harvmd Journal oj Asiatic Studies (June 1941) A photograph of this lime-pot will be found on Plate XXV This lime-pot is one of the articles of the Sung and Ming dynasties discovered by janse Prof P K Mukherji in his Indian Literature in China and the Far East Calcutta 1931 records the following chronology of tile Sung ana Ming dynasties in his list of the Translators of the Chinese Tripitaka - (Pages 3-4) - Later (Northern) Sung dynasty AD 960-1127 Kaifung (Honan) -Southern Sung dynasty-AD 1127shy1280- Ming dynasty-AD 1368-1644 It is not clear from janses Report whether the lime-pot belongs to the Sung or the Ming dynasty We may however conclude that it belongs to the period AD 960shy1644 and hence cannot prove the use of lime in tiimbula in IndoshyChina prior to AD 960

(4) In the article on ChW(Im in the Hobson-Jobson (by Yule and Burnell London 1903 pp 218-219) we get the following dated references to the use of lime in tiimbUla shy

AD 1510-And they also eat with the said leaves (betel) a certain lime made from oyster shells which they call cionama

-Vmthema 144

AD 1563- So that all the names you meet with that are nDt Portuguese are Malabar such as betre (betel) chuYx1 whiGh is lime

-Garcia fol 37g

AD 1610- Chunan -Pyrard de Laval ii 84 (Hak Sac 11 135)

AD 1614-Having burnt tileJ great idol into Chunah he mixshyed the powdered lime with pan leaves and gave it to the Rajputs that they might eat the object of their worship

-Ferishto quoted by QUXlrtremere Not et Ext XIV 510

AD 1673-The natives chew it (betel) with Chinam (lime IIf Calcind Oyster Shells)

-Fryer 40

STUDIES IN THE HISTORY OF T AMBULA 67

- AD 1689~Chinam is Lime made of Cockle-Shells or Limeshystone and Pawn is the leaf of a Tree

-Ovington 123

These references3 clearly prove the use of lime in tiimbula and in particular of the lime prepared from Oyster Shells or Cockle-Shells which is even now used in some parts of India

(5) From the reference to the use of lime from Oyster Shells in tiimbUla made by Varthema in AD 1510 we now turn to the section on [CimbUla (tambuabhoga) of the Manasolliisa (cAD1130) of king Somesvara In this section the use of bmfl from pearl-oysters is prescribed for use in tiimbula or vifaka (Marathi viqii) as folshylows shy

~~ffi~~ cfu~ firl1rfqa~ [See p 84 of Manasolliisa Vol II (G O Series Baroda 1939)]

The use of lime in tiimbula is thus clearly established from cAD 1100 up to the present day

(6) In the Tantrika treatise on yoga called the Siva-Smhhitii (3rd Edition PaI)ini office Allahabad 1942) we find the following references to tiimbula including a reference to Cu71Ja or lime --shyPage 32-The Yogi should try to attain success in yoga by the followshying means shy

He should use clarified butter milk sweet food and betel withshyout lime camphor husked sweet grains pleasant monastery or retired cell having a small door etc

flcf ~Ti if f~~ o~ =iiulqr~~ I q~ ~ f~ ~ ~~(oliJfi~ 11 ~ 0 11

or p 58 however tiimbUla has been definitely mentioned among the impediments of yoga as follows shy

I ilR1 ~~~mr ~ ~if~~lffcf~ 1

o~~ +r~rifrflr ~~~~q 11 ~ 11

+rm~ ~~ fltmT ~~qrfinr~~~ 11 ~ 11

Trans-Women beds seats dresses and riches are obstacles to yoga Betels dainty dishes carriages kingdoms lordliness and powers etc These are the obstacles which arise from Bhoga (enjoyment) etc

3 Berniers reference (CAD 1660) to tiimbUla may be added to the refershyences from the Hobson-Jobson It is as followsshy

Betel is a small parcel made of aromatic leaves and other ingredients mixed up with a little of the lime made from sea-shells this colours the lips and mouth red and aggreeably perfumes the breath (pp 13-14 of Travels London 1891)

68 P K GODE

Niirdya1JClitirtha (n his commentary Yogasiddhiil1ta-candrikii (Chowkharnba Sans Series Benares 1910 p 100) refers to tiimbiila without lime in the following verse shy

~ iI~~ f~ lot ~~q q I

~ ~~ ~qr~ui ltiTfilif ~lt1~ 11

(7) The earliest datable reference to the use of cUr1Ja or lime or chunam in tiimbiila so far traced by me is found in the section on Perfumes (Gandhayukti ) of the BrhatsarhhiNi (cAD 500) of Varahamihira (Chap 77 Verses 35 36 37 dealing with tiimbUla-shypages 612-613 of the Edition with Eng Trans by V Subrahmanya Sastri Bangalore 1947) This reference is as follows shy

~~ Olltf ~)fu ~in WNfir f~rmft~ I ~JfNcti lttffiPclil~rR ~clltt ~l~ ifiURr i1Ptl~ 11 ~ G 11

Translatior--A moderate dose of lime used wi th betel-leaves gives good colour an extra quantity of areca nut spoils the colour excessive lime produces bad smell in the mouth but an extra quantity of beteHeaf pleasant smell Lime by itself with betel-leaf may not produce red colour in tambiila when chewed At present deep red colour4 is obtained by the combination of lime and catechu (Marathi Kiit ) in the tiimbiila We must therefore record evidence about the use of Icatechu in tiimbiila from Sanskrit and non-Sanskrit sources

(8) The Susrutasarhhitti (N S Press Bombay 1938) menshytions the use of jcUr1Ja or lime in tiimbUla in the following verse 21 of Chap 24 of Cikitsiisthana

~~mft~~~ifi~fil~~ 11

~olWr ~W-i qli m~iiT ~~~ 11 ~ ~ 11

Tamb11la is also mentioned in the following verses of Chap 46 of the SiUrasthiina -

Page 249

4 The Riijanigha1Jtu of Narahari ( CAD 1450) refers to the dye-producing properties of Khadira (Khadira-siim ) or extract from the Khadira tree (Catechu) in the following verse (p 13 of Anandiasrama Edition Poona 1896) _

~~ ~ftu~ll ~U ~~ ~4lit I ~ ~t~ it~r ffi q~~ 11 d ~ 11

STUDIEs IN THE HISTORY OF TAMBULA

~~

~Iogffii~ ~~ 11 ~~~ 11

liR1~ ~C(i ltm1~~~ I

~16f(~~~1~~iJiI~ U v~~ ~i ~q~t ~~~ 1

p~ ~ t lfl~~tlW(i ~nlt1T ~ 11 ~~~ 11

(9) The Carakasmhhitii also mentions tambula in the following verses of Chap 5 of Sutrasthiina (p 42 of N S Press Edition Bombay 1941) shy

lt1T~tniT~iM jf~~~Rt~c~~r 11 IS ~ 11

m1ftOfj~~liJTiff ~~ ~rfr 1 bull

ltmfiT~ ~ ~ a(~(5~ ~il ~r 1

~ fi1i~Frllffl ~Ii~~~ ~Tfif 11 IS IS 11

There is no reference to cur~w or lime in the above ingredients of tiimbula mentioned in the early medical text of the Carakasarhshyhita We must go through the whole text of this work and See if cUTJJa as an ingredient of tiimbUla has been mentioned in some other context

(10) The Riijanigha1Jtu of Narahari(cAD 1450) records the follmving verses about cir1Ja on p 132 of the Anandasrama (Poona 1896) Ed~tion of this work shy

~(jfl - ~ Ofi~~~ ~( ~~Wflti~~ ~Tqci W-~ ~~Fr~ qmrq~ ~~ 1

fq~f i[~ii ~rm~fq~ ~fli~~ ~m~ ~ii~qf~i ~~~~ ~~ 11 ~ 0 11

ijl~~~~shy

qm~ ~rrg) ~aTIt

urlRlCfq ~(H~~am) 1-

~T~it ~t~( ~~)shy~fi1fq fq~tl~fd~ lt1r 11 ~ 11

Verse 20 in the above extract mentions the properties of cur1JO from the Arjuna tree Kutaja plant etc Thecur1Jafrom sukti (pearlshyoyster) mentioned last in this verse is identical with the lime from oyster-shells used in tiimbula Verse 21 definitely deals with curra or lime and its use as also the use of KMdirastra or catechu in tambula This verse may be compared with verse 36 in the Gandhashyyukti section of the Brhatsarhhitii quoted above

(11 ) The A$ta1Jgasmngraha (cAD 625 according to Hoernle or 8th-9th cent AD according to Prof Dineshchandra Bhattacharya)

70

of Vagbhata definitely refers to Curra (lime) and Khadira (catechu) in tiimbula in the following verses (34-38) of Chap 3 of Sutrasthiina (ed by R D Kinjawadekar Poona 1940 p 15)

~fq~mI ~l1~wicrnOT tI1~~q It

mftiiCl~ifii~Cfi~ii~ ~~ 11 ~ It

of(5f-=rT ~ziCii~ ~~ tlfiCiiIl~ora~ It

~qrq~ern~OT~~r~qclq~r~ 11 ~ ~ 11

fct~I~~T~AT~q~ ~r~i lt aq It

q~ ~lR~~ ~ ~l~ tf1~ lt ~t 11 ~ It 11

f[trn~ct ~ lt ~~~~ rq 6q 11

(12) The importance of the medical properties of the Khadira (Acacia Catechu) and its products was recognized more than 2000

years ago as will be seen from the references to Khadira by Caraka Susruta Viagbhata Harita Cakradatta Dhanvantari-Nighartu Vrnda socihala Bhavamisra (Bhiivaprakasal etc collected by my friend Vaidya B G Shah (Pages 452-458 of the Nighartu Adarsa Part I Ahmedabad 1927) R N Khory in his Materia Medica Il 184 records the Actions and uses of catechu as follows shy

Powerful astringent stronger than Kino anti-periodic and digestive Its action is due to the tannic acid it contairls It is a powerful astringent to the mucous membranes given in dyspepsia attended with pyrosis and also diarrhoea in children in dysentery intermittent fevers and scurvy as a gargle in hoarseness of voice and sore throat Locally as a dusting powder hypertrophied relaxed tonshysils ulcerated and spongy gums and to control passive haemorrhashyges

(13) The combination of the decoction of the khadira (CateshyChu) and Kramuka (betel-nut) is prescribed in urinary troubles by the SUsectrutasamhiM (N S Press Bombay 1938 p 452) ~Cikitsashy

sthana Chap 11 Section 9 as follows shy

~jfin~ qt~-~iq~ tn~~q 11 Cl It

(variant ~SfigltlimiddotifilfTti)

Kadara is explained as white catechu by the lexicons Vaijayanti (cAD 1050) - ffi~ ~ at~l ififa~ and Medini (cAD 1200-1275) - ~ ~ta~ ~d

STUDIES IN THE HISTORY middot OF T AMBULA

In the tlimbula also there is a combination of kramuka (betelshy

nut) and khadira (catechu)

(14) The Carakasarhhita (NS Press Bombay 1941) gives recipes of (1) a pill (gutika) of Catechu (Khadira-sara) and (2) oil from Catechu in the Cikitsaampthiina Chap 26 verses 206-214 (p 609) These recipes are prescribed for persons suffering from mukhashyToga (diseases of the mouth) The recipe of the Khadira-gutikii contains numerous ingredients like q~foI (sandal) ~~~ (clove) ii~)lt-5 rRtoiTIT (nutmeg or its outer covering) n~ar t1lafiT tt~l (cardamom) etc Some of these ingredients are used at present in tambula The verses referred to above begin with ~ T~RI~laquo and end with ~~r~~1ltt~ ~ q~1fi1 In this Khadira-GuJika of Caraka we have the ancestor of our modern scenshyted Kat-goli or Catechu pill used in TiimbUla

(15) The definite Catechu piU (Kat-goli) used in tiimbulais described in detail by Somesvara in his M iinasolliisa (Section on TiimbUla called tiimbula-bhoga) ~ Vol II (G O Series Baroda 1939) p 85 shy

( ~~W~I ) - e ijf~i1iN~ ~ ~furGrn~~ 11 QltlJ 11

m~~ ~~~~l~lt~ t ~fit~ ~+f~rtftcnf 1fi~r ~~T II Q It u 11

~~ltT ~ 1rtlirt q ~ I

( ~~msect~~~lt )-arll~R~~q TQ( ltiter(iR1gct~ 11 Q It amp 11

~mTli~~il ~Oliimf~a- ~~il~ I ~ltfuqTf~ 1fi~rfOi ~+J~~ 11 Q 99 11

Cfii~Jf 1ID~~ ~ Sfi~~~~ I

The catechu-pill for kings tambUla contained musk (Kasturi ) Sandal (Srikka1Jrja) camphor (Karpura) while the catechu-powder used with tiimbula contained powder of nutmeg (jiitiphala) camshyphor (Karpura) etc

(16) In the light of the history of Catechu in tambiila recorshyded above the following notes from the article on Catechu in the Hobson-Jobson (London 1903 pp 173-174) would be found inteshyresting shy

5 In the Bodhiiyaniyagrhyase$asutra (Mysore 1920P 374 - Prasna V

Chap 7 - Vanaspati-homa) worship of Sfifliltl~ (betel-nut tree) is

prescribed (e 5igfin~l~~ ~-il~~r) This text possibly belongs to 3rd on 4th Century AD (See p XXIV of P Hartings Edition of Selections from this text)

P K GODE

CATECHU also CUTCH and CAUT-An astringent extract from the wood of several species of Acacia (Acacia Catechu) the Khair and Acacia Suma Kurz AC Sundra De and probably more The extract is called in H Kath (Skt kvathto decoct) but the two first commercial names which we have given are doubtless taken from the southern forms of the word eg Can Kiichu Tarn Kiisu Malay Kachu De orta whose judgments are always worthy of respect considered~t to be the lycium of the ancients_ and always applied that name to it but Dr Royle has shown that lyciwm was an extract from certain species of berberis known in the bazars as Tasot Cutch is first mentioned by Barbosa among the drugs imported into Malacca But it remained unknown in Europe till brought from Japan about the middle of the 17th Century

Usages AD 1516 drugs from Cambay Cacho---Barbosa 191 AD 1554 - Cate (at Ormauz) they call Cacho shy

A Nunes 22 AD 1563 - the wood vulgarly called Cate - Garcia

f 125 AD 1578 - The Indians use this Cate mixt with Areca

and with Betel and by itself without other mixture --- Acosta Tract 150

AD 1585 - Sassetti mentions CiGiu as derived from lhe Khadira tree ie in modern Hindi Khair (Skt Khadira)

AD 1616 - Catcha --- Foster Letters 127

AD 1617 - Cacha (drug) - Cooks Diary i 294

AD 1759 -- Hortal and Catch Earth-oil and wood oil - List of Burma Products etc Oriental Report i 109

CAD 1760 - To these three articles (betel areca and chunam) is often added for luxury what they call Cachoonda a Japan-earth which from pershyfumes and other mixtures chiefly manufacture4 at Goa receives such improvement as to be sold to advantage when reimported to Japan Another addition too they use of what they call Catchoo being a blackish granuiated perfumed composition

- Grose i 233

AD 1813 -- The peasants manufacture Catechu or terra Japonica from the Keiri (Khair) tree (Mimosa

middot 2

STUDIES IN THE HISTORY OF TAMBULA

Catechu) which grows wild oh the hills of Konkana but In no other partopound the Indian Peninsula (erroneous) - Forbes Or Mem i 303 (2nd Ed i 193)

(17) The Khadiraplant has a great antiquity and sanctity In the Igveda (Book In Hymn 53) IndIa is invo~ed as followsshy

19 Enclose thee in the heart of Khayar (Khadira) timber in the car wrought of Simsapii put firmness (Griffiths Trans Vo I 1896 p 375)

Griffiths Note-Khayar-timber the hard wood of Khadira or Acacia Catechu of which the pin of theaxle was made Simsapii Dalbergia Sisu also a common timber tree

It would require a special monograph to trace the history of the Khadira tree from the time of the fgveda upto the present day This tree had great sanctity in ancient Indian sacrificial ritual as the sacrificial post was made of Khadira (Khiidira-yupa) Kautilya in his Arthasasta (Chap XVII of Book II oh Superintendent of Forest Produce p 107 of Eng trans by Shamashastry) mentions among forest products (1) Khadim (Mimosa Catechu ) and (2) Somavalka which is white Khadira (see p 625 of A$tiingahrdayashykosa by K M Vaidya 1936 -- article on Somavalka rrtentioned in the SutrastMna of the A$lartgahrdaya) The history of the ecoshynomic products of India on the strength middotof Indian sources has not yet been studied systematically Such history witl have a respectshyable place in any comprehensive history of Indian Culture when it comes to be written For this purpose each of these products must be studied separately from the historical and cultural point of view

(18) Berthold Lauter in his Sino-lranica (Chicago 1919 p 481) refers incidentally to Catechu as follows--

It is not intelligible to me why Hirth says that in the Ming dynasty (AD 1368-1644) 6 lu~wei Was as it is now Catechu a product of the Acacia Catechu (Sanskrit Khadira) No authority for this theory is cited but this is quite impossible as C(ltechu or Cutch was well known to the Chinese under the middot names er--Ca or hair-Ca (See Stuarl Chinese Materia Medica p 2 and Laufer L(an Words in Tibetan No 107 where the history of these words is traced)

6 See list of Chinese dynasties with dates at the end of Indian Literature in China and the Far East by P K Mukerji Calcutta 1931 (p 4 of the lis )

14 P K cODE

(19) In Section 13 of Chap 11 of the Cikitsiisthiina of the Smrutasarhhitii (N S Press Bombay 1938 p 450) the author describes the method of gathering the juice of Khadira (Acacia Catechu) directly from the tree as follows shy

~ta ~R(l~m~~~Ti1-SIma~~Fjfro~ ~~ir~ i1ltf~ ~~~ qmr ~fi~ltc(T a~~ +iltf~ ~ f~T ~m+iq ~ ~ftI13 aa) fltfTC ~~ ~~U01~r ~ltfu Cia ~ iiTi1~yen~T ~crf~a O1qiifiTlti ~~~ m~f+ir ~T~q~ tNI 01~ W~ Hr ~fu a~ffi~ ~ ~~r ilJif1~m ~ m~~~fu ltlI~ qt ~~ qfhm~ ni ~~+r=trr~ filtl~ ~a fir~ltfT~ etc

The Khadira-vidhiina or the method of gathering JUice of Catechu prescribed above was as follovvs-- A Khadira tree growing on good ground and of middle age was selected and ground about its bottom was dug out A cut was then made in its central root and a pitcher of iron or bronze (ayas) was so placed underneath as to admit the exuding juice The pitcher was then besmeared with a mixture of cow-dung and earth and later kept in th~ midst of fire produced from (dried) cow-dung and other fuel When the juice had boiled over the pitcher was lifted up and the juice poured in a separate pot and kept properly covered

The above method of gathering the juice from a Khadira tree so graphically described by Susrruta gives us a good glimpse of the processes employed by ancient Indians in the manufacture of herbal medicines

(20) The Yogaratniikara (Anandasrama Sanskrit Series Poona 1900) is a voluminous medical compendium compiled between cAlJ 1650 and 1725 as I have proved in my article on its date (Pages 154-156 of the Bharatiya Vidyii Bombay 1943 Vol IV) It conshytains a long extract of about 20 verses on tambUla (Verses 58-79 on page 35) The ingredients of tiimbiila mentioned in these verses are as follows- (1) ill (betel-nut) (2) CJt (camphor) (3) ~~~ (musk) (4) ~ (dove) (5) ~+fi~ (nutmeg) (6) al~~ or qui (betel-leaf) which should be ~ (whitish yellow) the betel~leaf from VaiigadeSa (Bengal) was the best (q~)il qJr q~ ~~

~ ) (7) Catechu (Khadina) (8) lime or chunam middot (CuriJ-a) The verses pertaining to CUTta and KhJ)dira are as followsshy

~~ CJlfifq~~~~ CRI~Tq~~ I ~TlTCf~ri ~~if~ ~fu q 11 9 ~ 11

~i ~~Rr ~~ltn~ ~~f~~ I

~~ fom~ ~ a~ -r~~T n ~~ 11

75 STUDIES IN THE HISTORY OF TAMBULA

Dhe properties of tobacco (~uni) are recorded in 7 verses on pp 17-18 At present some people chew tohacco powder along with tiimbUla or separately Verse 4 tells us that the use of tabacco is a remedy against diseases of the teeth (~~f1) and that it is a germicide ( fltif~EfI~mf )

The foregoing notes are sufficient to prove conclusively the use of Cur1Ja (lime) and Catechu (Khadir(l) as essential ingredients of tambUla for about 2000 years say from the first century of the Christian era upto the present day Further evidence on this topic has been gathered by me and I hope to record it in a subsequent paper

Appendix

(The hisory of the use of tiimbula in countries outside India must be studied critically with a view to understanding the spread of its use in India many years before CAD 400 In this connection I made inquiries of my friend Mademoiselle middot S lltclrpeles Secretary of Ecole Francaise dExtrerne-orient at Hanoi (Indo-China) and sent to her my paper on Indian Nut-Cracker She replied promptly in her letter of 16th March 1949 as follows -

Here is the name of the Nut-~Cracker (

Laotian - MITSANAK Vietnamese - DAO DAD

Cambodian - PRANAK

The habit of chewing betel is very tancient and current throughshyout the whole Peninsula and herewith a story about its origin found in old Vietnamese books translated into French It is Monsieur TRAN HAM TAN who took the trouble to find itollt

On getting the above story about the origin of tambUla I got it translated into English by my friend Dr R G Harshe Registrar Deccan College Research Institute Joona This Engiish translashytion is given below I take this opportunity of rec~rd~ng my best thanks to Miss Karpeles Mr Tran Ham Tan and Dr Harshe for their hearty co~operation with me in the present inquiry about the history of tiimbUla in Greater India

7 Prof R M Bhusari has drawn my attention to a genuine Marathi

word for the Nut-Craoker viz ~mUTr (Pophal-pho4a1ii) mentioned

in a Mahlanubhjava Marathi text of the 13th Century viz ~~(Edited

by H N Nene - ~~rc1 p 100)

16 P K GODE

The Life-story )f Tian and Lang (by Mr Tran Ham Tan Hanoi)

Formerly there lived a Prince Quan-Iang who had an imposing stature He received the title of Marquis of Cao as title of nobishylity Since then he took CfJO as the family name His two sons Tan and Lang resembled each other so much that one could not dismiddot tinguish the elder from the younger At the age of 17 or 18 they became orphans and went together to seek a preceptor for teaching them religion and philosophy The daughter of their preceptor Lun Huyen was also of 17 or 18 years of age When she saw the two brothers she fell in love with them Wishing to marry one of them she did not know as to who was the elder and who the younger of the two She gave both of them a single cup of meat-soup and one only pair of sticks in order to know the elder and the younger The junior passed all these things immediately to the senior She then requested her parents to marry her to the elder one The couple sometimes iived away from their little brother The younger brother felt it very much and saying to himself that his elder brother being in love with his wife had forgotten his brother on that account and without informing his elder brother he returned to the paternal house Coming to a deep stream atwhich there was no ferry he sat all alone and wept grievously and died then his dead-body was transformed into a tree the areca

When the elder one did not see any longer his YOW1ger brother he abandoned his wife in order to go in pursuit of him coming to the place where his younger brother had died he threw himself on the tree (ie areca) and died his dead body was transformed into a huge stone attached to the trunk of this tree When the young wife marked the disappearance of her husband she went in his pursuit coming to the place she learnt that her husqand was alshyready dead whereupon she thlew herself on the stone and emshybraced it till her death She was transformed into a Creeping stock which braided over the tree and the stone and from which were produced the odoriferous (sweet-smelling) leaves They were the leaves of the betel

Their parents (relatives) came there very much distressed and built a temple in their honour At the temple the passers-by offered to them the incense sticks praised their brotherly love and the conjugal duty of the victims

In the month of autumn the king Hung made a journey to this place Seeing this temple witil the tree surroimded by the creeping stalks he asked for its reason and being supplied with the

STUDIES IN THE HISTORY OF TAMBULA 77

information made the fruit and the leaf to ~brought to him He chewed them and spat its juice on the stone which was of a red colour and which emitted a good smell The king returned taking with him a fruit of areoa and a leaf of betel prepared with a little lime he chewed the betel and the areca~nut He even ordered that these newly discovered plants be planted in his kingdom and deshyclared that at marriages and feastsane ought middot to prepare a present consisting of the betel leaves and the nuts of arecaS

[This took pla-ce under the dynasty of the Hung-Vuong shy(2880-258 BC) 1

8 In India also we distribute Pim-Supiiri (betel-leaf and betel-nut) to all guests at marriages feasts and all social and cordial functions Do we owe this custom to Indo-China and other countries adjacent to India

STUDIEs IN THE HISTORY OF TAMBULA

~~

~Iogffii~ ~~ 11 ~~~ 11

liR1~ ~C(i ltm1~~~ I

~16f(~~~1~~iJiI~ U v~~ ~i ~q~t ~~~ 1

p~ ~ t lfl~~tlW(i ~nlt1T ~ 11 ~~~ 11

(9) The Carakasmhhitii also mentions tambula in the following verses of Chap 5 of Sutrasthiina (p 42 of N S Press Edition Bombay 1941) shy

lt1T~tniT~iM jf~~~Rt~c~~r 11 IS ~ 11

m1ftOfj~~liJTiff ~~ ~rfr 1 bull

ltmfiT~ ~ ~ a(~(5~ ~il ~r 1

~ fi1i~Frllffl ~Ii~~~ ~Tfif 11 IS IS 11

There is no reference to cur~w or lime in the above ingredients of tiimbula mentioned in the early medical text of the Carakasarhshyhita We must go through the whole text of this work and See if cUTJJa as an ingredient of tiimbUla has been mentioned in some other context

(10) The Riijanigha1Jtu of Narahari(cAD 1450) records the follmving verses about cir1Ja on p 132 of the Anandasrama (Poona 1896) Ed~tion of this work shy

~(jfl - ~ Ofi~~~ ~( ~~Wflti~~ ~Tqci W-~ ~~Fr~ qmrq~ ~~ 1

fq~f i[~ii ~rm~fq~ ~fli~~ ~m~ ~ii~qf~i ~~~~ ~~ 11 ~ 0 11

ijl~~~~shy

qm~ ~rrg) ~aTIt

urlRlCfq ~(H~~am) 1-

~T~it ~t~( ~~)shy~fi1fq fq~tl~fd~ lt1r 11 ~ 11

Verse 20 in the above extract mentions the properties of cur1JO from the Arjuna tree Kutaja plant etc Thecur1Jafrom sukti (pearlshyoyster) mentioned last in this verse is identical with the lime from oyster-shells used in tiimbula Verse 21 definitely deals with curra or lime and its use as also the use of KMdirastra or catechu in tambula This verse may be compared with verse 36 in the Gandhashyyukti section of the Brhatsarhhitii quoted above

(11 ) The A$ta1Jgasmngraha (cAD 625 according to Hoernle or 8th-9th cent AD according to Prof Dineshchandra Bhattacharya)

70

of Vagbhata definitely refers to Curra (lime) and Khadira (catechu) in tiimbula in the following verses (34-38) of Chap 3 of Sutrasthiina (ed by R D Kinjawadekar Poona 1940 p 15)

~fq~mI ~l1~wicrnOT tI1~~q It

mftiiCl~ifii~Cfi~ii~ ~~ 11 ~ It

of(5f-=rT ~ziCii~ ~~ tlfiCiiIl~ora~ It

~qrq~ern~OT~~r~qclq~r~ 11 ~ ~ 11

fct~I~~T~AT~q~ ~r~i lt aq It

q~ ~lR~~ ~ ~l~ tf1~ lt ~t 11 ~ It 11

f[trn~ct ~ lt ~~~~ rq 6q 11

(12) The importance of the medical properties of the Khadira (Acacia Catechu) and its products was recognized more than 2000

years ago as will be seen from the references to Khadira by Caraka Susruta Viagbhata Harita Cakradatta Dhanvantari-Nighartu Vrnda socihala Bhavamisra (Bhiivaprakasal etc collected by my friend Vaidya B G Shah (Pages 452-458 of the Nighartu Adarsa Part I Ahmedabad 1927) R N Khory in his Materia Medica Il 184 records the Actions and uses of catechu as follows shy

Powerful astringent stronger than Kino anti-periodic and digestive Its action is due to the tannic acid it contairls It is a powerful astringent to the mucous membranes given in dyspepsia attended with pyrosis and also diarrhoea in children in dysentery intermittent fevers and scurvy as a gargle in hoarseness of voice and sore throat Locally as a dusting powder hypertrophied relaxed tonshysils ulcerated and spongy gums and to control passive haemorrhashyges

(13) The combination of the decoction of the khadira (CateshyChu) and Kramuka (betel-nut) is prescribed in urinary troubles by the SUsectrutasamhiM (N S Press Bombay 1938 p 452) ~Cikitsashy

sthana Chap 11 Section 9 as follows shy

~jfin~ qt~-~iq~ tn~~q 11 Cl It

(variant ~SfigltlimiddotifilfTti)

Kadara is explained as white catechu by the lexicons Vaijayanti (cAD 1050) - ffi~ ~ at~l ififa~ and Medini (cAD 1200-1275) - ~ ~ta~ ~d

STUDIES IN THE HISTORY middot OF T AMBULA

In the tlimbula also there is a combination of kramuka (betelshy

nut) and khadira (catechu)

(14) The Carakasarhhita (NS Press Bombay 1941) gives recipes of (1) a pill (gutika) of Catechu (Khadira-sara) and (2) oil from Catechu in the Cikitsaampthiina Chap 26 verses 206-214 (p 609) These recipes are prescribed for persons suffering from mukhashyToga (diseases of the mouth) The recipe of the Khadira-gutikii contains numerous ingredients like q~foI (sandal) ~~~ (clove) ii~)lt-5 rRtoiTIT (nutmeg or its outer covering) n~ar t1lafiT tt~l (cardamom) etc Some of these ingredients are used at present in tambula The verses referred to above begin with ~ T~RI~laquo and end with ~~r~~1ltt~ ~ q~1fi1 In this Khadira-GuJika of Caraka we have the ancestor of our modern scenshyted Kat-goli or Catechu pill used in TiimbUla

(15) The definite Catechu piU (Kat-goli) used in tiimbulais described in detail by Somesvara in his M iinasolliisa (Section on TiimbUla called tiimbula-bhoga) ~ Vol II (G O Series Baroda 1939) p 85 shy

( ~~W~I ) - e ijf~i1iN~ ~ ~furGrn~~ 11 QltlJ 11

m~~ ~~~~l~lt~ t ~fit~ ~+f~rtftcnf 1fi~r ~~T II Q It u 11

~~ltT ~ 1rtlirt q ~ I

( ~~msect~~~lt )-arll~R~~q TQ( ltiter(iR1gct~ 11 Q It amp 11

~mTli~~il ~Oliimf~a- ~~il~ I ~ltfuqTf~ 1fi~rfOi ~+J~~ 11 Q 99 11

Cfii~Jf 1ID~~ ~ Sfi~~~~ I

The catechu-pill for kings tambUla contained musk (Kasturi ) Sandal (Srikka1Jrja) camphor (Karpura) while the catechu-powder used with tiimbula contained powder of nutmeg (jiitiphala) camshyphor (Karpura) etc

(16) In the light of the history of Catechu in tambiila recorshyded above the following notes from the article on Catechu in the Hobson-Jobson (London 1903 pp 173-174) would be found inteshyresting shy

5 In the Bodhiiyaniyagrhyase$asutra (Mysore 1920P 374 - Prasna V

Chap 7 - Vanaspati-homa) worship of Sfifliltl~ (betel-nut tree) is

prescribed (e 5igfin~l~~ ~-il~~r) This text possibly belongs to 3rd on 4th Century AD (See p XXIV of P Hartings Edition of Selections from this text)

P K GODE

CATECHU also CUTCH and CAUT-An astringent extract from the wood of several species of Acacia (Acacia Catechu) the Khair and Acacia Suma Kurz AC Sundra De and probably more The extract is called in H Kath (Skt kvathto decoct) but the two first commercial names which we have given are doubtless taken from the southern forms of the word eg Can Kiichu Tarn Kiisu Malay Kachu De orta whose judgments are always worthy of respect considered~t to be the lycium of the ancients_ and always applied that name to it but Dr Royle has shown that lyciwm was an extract from certain species of berberis known in the bazars as Tasot Cutch is first mentioned by Barbosa among the drugs imported into Malacca But it remained unknown in Europe till brought from Japan about the middle of the 17th Century

Usages AD 1516 drugs from Cambay Cacho---Barbosa 191 AD 1554 - Cate (at Ormauz) they call Cacho shy

A Nunes 22 AD 1563 - the wood vulgarly called Cate - Garcia

f 125 AD 1578 - The Indians use this Cate mixt with Areca

and with Betel and by itself without other mixture --- Acosta Tract 150

AD 1585 - Sassetti mentions CiGiu as derived from lhe Khadira tree ie in modern Hindi Khair (Skt Khadira)

AD 1616 - Catcha --- Foster Letters 127

AD 1617 - Cacha (drug) - Cooks Diary i 294

AD 1759 -- Hortal and Catch Earth-oil and wood oil - List of Burma Products etc Oriental Report i 109

CAD 1760 - To these three articles (betel areca and chunam) is often added for luxury what they call Cachoonda a Japan-earth which from pershyfumes and other mixtures chiefly manufacture4 at Goa receives such improvement as to be sold to advantage when reimported to Japan Another addition too they use of what they call Catchoo being a blackish granuiated perfumed composition

- Grose i 233

AD 1813 -- The peasants manufacture Catechu or terra Japonica from the Keiri (Khair) tree (Mimosa

middot 2

STUDIES IN THE HISTORY OF TAMBULA

Catechu) which grows wild oh the hills of Konkana but In no other partopound the Indian Peninsula (erroneous) - Forbes Or Mem i 303 (2nd Ed i 193)

(17) The Khadiraplant has a great antiquity and sanctity In the Igveda (Book In Hymn 53) IndIa is invo~ed as followsshy

19 Enclose thee in the heart of Khayar (Khadira) timber in the car wrought of Simsapii put firmness (Griffiths Trans Vo I 1896 p 375)

Griffiths Note-Khayar-timber the hard wood of Khadira or Acacia Catechu of which the pin of theaxle was made Simsapii Dalbergia Sisu also a common timber tree

It would require a special monograph to trace the history of the Khadira tree from the time of the fgveda upto the present day This tree had great sanctity in ancient Indian sacrificial ritual as the sacrificial post was made of Khadira (Khiidira-yupa) Kautilya in his Arthasasta (Chap XVII of Book II oh Superintendent of Forest Produce p 107 of Eng trans by Shamashastry) mentions among forest products (1) Khadim (Mimosa Catechu ) and (2) Somavalka which is white Khadira (see p 625 of A$tiingahrdayashykosa by K M Vaidya 1936 -- article on Somavalka rrtentioned in the SutrastMna of the A$lartgahrdaya) The history of the ecoshynomic products of India on the strength middotof Indian sources has not yet been studied systematically Such history witl have a respectshyable place in any comprehensive history of Indian Culture when it comes to be written For this purpose each of these products must be studied separately from the historical and cultural point of view

(18) Berthold Lauter in his Sino-lranica (Chicago 1919 p 481) refers incidentally to Catechu as follows--

It is not intelligible to me why Hirth says that in the Ming dynasty (AD 1368-1644) 6 lu~wei Was as it is now Catechu a product of the Acacia Catechu (Sanskrit Khadira) No authority for this theory is cited but this is quite impossible as C(ltechu or Cutch was well known to the Chinese under the middot names er--Ca or hair-Ca (See Stuarl Chinese Materia Medica p 2 and Laufer L(an Words in Tibetan No 107 where the history of these words is traced)

6 See list of Chinese dynasties with dates at the end of Indian Literature in China and the Far East by P K Mukerji Calcutta 1931 (p 4 of the lis )

14 P K cODE

(19) In Section 13 of Chap 11 of the Cikitsiisthiina of the Smrutasarhhitii (N S Press Bombay 1938 p 450) the author describes the method of gathering the juice of Khadira (Acacia Catechu) directly from the tree as follows shy

~ta ~R(l~m~~~Ti1-SIma~~Fjfro~ ~~ir~ i1ltf~ ~~~ qmr ~fi~ltc(T a~~ +iltf~ ~ f~T ~m+iq ~ ~ftI13 aa) fltfTC ~~ ~~U01~r ~ltfu Cia ~ iiTi1~yen~T ~crf~a O1qiifiTlti ~~~ m~f+ir ~T~q~ tNI 01~ W~ Hr ~fu a~ffi~ ~ ~~r ilJif1~m ~ m~~~fu ltlI~ qt ~~ qfhm~ ni ~~+r=trr~ filtl~ ~a fir~ltfT~ etc

The Khadira-vidhiina or the method of gathering JUice of Catechu prescribed above was as follovvs-- A Khadira tree growing on good ground and of middle age was selected and ground about its bottom was dug out A cut was then made in its central root and a pitcher of iron or bronze (ayas) was so placed underneath as to admit the exuding juice The pitcher was then besmeared with a mixture of cow-dung and earth and later kept in th~ midst of fire produced from (dried) cow-dung and other fuel When the juice had boiled over the pitcher was lifted up and the juice poured in a separate pot and kept properly covered

The above method of gathering the juice from a Khadira tree so graphically described by Susrruta gives us a good glimpse of the processes employed by ancient Indians in the manufacture of herbal medicines

(20) The Yogaratniikara (Anandasrama Sanskrit Series Poona 1900) is a voluminous medical compendium compiled between cAlJ 1650 and 1725 as I have proved in my article on its date (Pages 154-156 of the Bharatiya Vidyii Bombay 1943 Vol IV) It conshytains a long extract of about 20 verses on tambUla (Verses 58-79 on page 35) The ingredients of tiimbiila mentioned in these verses are as follows- (1) ill (betel-nut) (2) CJt (camphor) (3) ~~~ (musk) (4) ~ (dove) (5) ~+fi~ (nutmeg) (6) al~~ or qui (betel-leaf) which should be ~ (whitish yellow) the betel~leaf from VaiigadeSa (Bengal) was the best (q~)il qJr q~ ~~

~ ) (7) Catechu (Khadina) (8) lime or chunam middot (CuriJ-a) The verses pertaining to CUTta and KhJ)dira are as followsshy

~~ CJlfifq~~~~ CRI~Tq~~ I ~TlTCf~ri ~~if~ ~fu q 11 9 ~ 11

~i ~~Rr ~~ltn~ ~~f~~ I

~~ fom~ ~ a~ -r~~T n ~~ 11

75 STUDIES IN THE HISTORY OF TAMBULA

Dhe properties of tobacco (~uni) are recorded in 7 verses on pp 17-18 At present some people chew tohacco powder along with tiimbUla or separately Verse 4 tells us that the use of tabacco is a remedy against diseases of the teeth (~~f1) and that it is a germicide ( fltif~EfI~mf )

The foregoing notes are sufficient to prove conclusively the use of Cur1Ja (lime) and Catechu (Khadir(l) as essential ingredients of tambUla for about 2000 years say from the first century of the Christian era upto the present day Further evidence on this topic has been gathered by me and I hope to record it in a subsequent paper

Appendix

(The hisory of the use of tiimbula in countries outside India must be studied critically with a view to understanding the spread of its use in India many years before CAD 400 In this connection I made inquiries of my friend Mademoiselle middot S lltclrpeles Secretary of Ecole Francaise dExtrerne-orient at Hanoi (Indo-China) and sent to her my paper on Indian Nut-Cracker She replied promptly in her letter of 16th March 1949 as follows -

Here is the name of the Nut-~Cracker (

Laotian - MITSANAK Vietnamese - DAO DAD

Cambodian - PRANAK

The habit of chewing betel is very tancient and current throughshyout the whole Peninsula and herewith a story about its origin found in old Vietnamese books translated into French It is Monsieur TRAN HAM TAN who took the trouble to find itollt

On getting the above story about the origin of tambUla I got it translated into English by my friend Dr R G Harshe Registrar Deccan College Research Institute Joona This Engiish translashytion is given below I take this opportunity of rec~rd~ng my best thanks to Miss Karpeles Mr Tran Ham Tan and Dr Harshe for their hearty co~operation with me in the present inquiry about the history of tiimbUla in Greater India

7 Prof R M Bhusari has drawn my attention to a genuine Marathi

word for the Nut-Craoker viz ~mUTr (Pophal-pho4a1ii) mentioned

in a Mahlanubhjava Marathi text of the 13th Century viz ~~(Edited

by H N Nene - ~~rc1 p 100)

16 P K GODE

The Life-story )f Tian and Lang (by Mr Tran Ham Tan Hanoi)

Formerly there lived a Prince Quan-Iang who had an imposing stature He received the title of Marquis of Cao as title of nobishylity Since then he took CfJO as the family name His two sons Tan and Lang resembled each other so much that one could not dismiddot tinguish the elder from the younger At the age of 17 or 18 they became orphans and went together to seek a preceptor for teaching them religion and philosophy The daughter of their preceptor Lun Huyen was also of 17 or 18 years of age When she saw the two brothers she fell in love with them Wishing to marry one of them she did not know as to who was the elder and who the younger of the two She gave both of them a single cup of meat-soup and one only pair of sticks in order to know the elder and the younger The junior passed all these things immediately to the senior She then requested her parents to marry her to the elder one The couple sometimes iived away from their little brother The younger brother felt it very much and saying to himself that his elder brother being in love with his wife had forgotten his brother on that account and without informing his elder brother he returned to the paternal house Coming to a deep stream atwhich there was no ferry he sat all alone and wept grievously and died then his dead-body was transformed into a tree the areca

When the elder one did not see any longer his YOW1ger brother he abandoned his wife in order to go in pursuit of him coming to the place where his younger brother had died he threw himself on the tree (ie areca) and died his dead body was transformed into a huge stone attached to the trunk of this tree When the young wife marked the disappearance of her husband she went in his pursuit coming to the place she learnt that her husqand was alshyready dead whereupon she thlew herself on the stone and emshybraced it till her death She was transformed into a Creeping stock which braided over the tree and the stone and from which were produced the odoriferous (sweet-smelling) leaves They were the leaves of the betel

Their parents (relatives) came there very much distressed and built a temple in their honour At the temple the passers-by offered to them the incense sticks praised their brotherly love and the conjugal duty of the victims

In the month of autumn the king Hung made a journey to this place Seeing this temple witil the tree surroimded by the creeping stalks he asked for its reason and being supplied with the

STUDIES IN THE HISTORY OF TAMBULA 77

information made the fruit and the leaf to ~brought to him He chewed them and spat its juice on the stone which was of a red colour and which emitted a good smell The king returned taking with him a fruit of areoa and a leaf of betel prepared with a little lime he chewed the betel and the areca~nut He even ordered that these newly discovered plants be planted in his kingdom and deshyclared that at marriages and feastsane ought middot to prepare a present consisting of the betel leaves and the nuts of arecaS

[This took pla-ce under the dynasty of the Hung-Vuong shy(2880-258 BC) 1

8 In India also we distribute Pim-Supiiri (betel-leaf and betel-nut) to all guests at marriages feasts and all social and cordial functions Do we owe this custom to Indo-China and other countries adjacent to India

70

of Vagbhata definitely refers to Curra (lime) and Khadira (catechu) in tiimbula in the following verses (34-38) of Chap 3 of Sutrasthiina (ed by R D Kinjawadekar Poona 1940 p 15)

~fq~mI ~l1~wicrnOT tI1~~q It

mftiiCl~ifii~Cfi~ii~ ~~ 11 ~ It

of(5f-=rT ~ziCii~ ~~ tlfiCiiIl~ora~ It

~qrq~ern~OT~~r~qclq~r~ 11 ~ ~ 11

fct~I~~T~AT~q~ ~r~i lt aq It

q~ ~lR~~ ~ ~l~ tf1~ lt ~t 11 ~ It 11

f[trn~ct ~ lt ~~~~ rq 6q 11

(12) The importance of the medical properties of the Khadira (Acacia Catechu) and its products was recognized more than 2000

years ago as will be seen from the references to Khadira by Caraka Susruta Viagbhata Harita Cakradatta Dhanvantari-Nighartu Vrnda socihala Bhavamisra (Bhiivaprakasal etc collected by my friend Vaidya B G Shah (Pages 452-458 of the Nighartu Adarsa Part I Ahmedabad 1927) R N Khory in his Materia Medica Il 184 records the Actions and uses of catechu as follows shy

Powerful astringent stronger than Kino anti-periodic and digestive Its action is due to the tannic acid it contairls It is a powerful astringent to the mucous membranes given in dyspepsia attended with pyrosis and also diarrhoea in children in dysentery intermittent fevers and scurvy as a gargle in hoarseness of voice and sore throat Locally as a dusting powder hypertrophied relaxed tonshysils ulcerated and spongy gums and to control passive haemorrhashyges

(13) The combination of the decoction of the khadira (CateshyChu) and Kramuka (betel-nut) is prescribed in urinary troubles by the SUsectrutasamhiM (N S Press Bombay 1938 p 452) ~Cikitsashy

sthana Chap 11 Section 9 as follows shy

~jfin~ qt~-~iq~ tn~~q 11 Cl It

(variant ~SfigltlimiddotifilfTti)

Kadara is explained as white catechu by the lexicons Vaijayanti (cAD 1050) - ffi~ ~ at~l ififa~ and Medini (cAD 1200-1275) - ~ ~ta~ ~d

STUDIES IN THE HISTORY middot OF T AMBULA

In the tlimbula also there is a combination of kramuka (betelshy

nut) and khadira (catechu)

(14) The Carakasarhhita (NS Press Bombay 1941) gives recipes of (1) a pill (gutika) of Catechu (Khadira-sara) and (2) oil from Catechu in the Cikitsaampthiina Chap 26 verses 206-214 (p 609) These recipes are prescribed for persons suffering from mukhashyToga (diseases of the mouth) The recipe of the Khadira-gutikii contains numerous ingredients like q~foI (sandal) ~~~ (clove) ii~)lt-5 rRtoiTIT (nutmeg or its outer covering) n~ar t1lafiT tt~l (cardamom) etc Some of these ingredients are used at present in tambula The verses referred to above begin with ~ T~RI~laquo and end with ~~r~~1ltt~ ~ q~1fi1 In this Khadira-GuJika of Caraka we have the ancestor of our modern scenshyted Kat-goli or Catechu pill used in TiimbUla

(15) The definite Catechu piU (Kat-goli) used in tiimbulais described in detail by Somesvara in his M iinasolliisa (Section on TiimbUla called tiimbula-bhoga) ~ Vol II (G O Series Baroda 1939) p 85 shy

( ~~W~I ) - e ijf~i1iN~ ~ ~furGrn~~ 11 QltlJ 11

m~~ ~~~~l~lt~ t ~fit~ ~+f~rtftcnf 1fi~r ~~T II Q It u 11

~~ltT ~ 1rtlirt q ~ I

( ~~msect~~~lt )-arll~R~~q TQ( ltiter(iR1gct~ 11 Q It amp 11

~mTli~~il ~Oliimf~a- ~~il~ I ~ltfuqTf~ 1fi~rfOi ~+J~~ 11 Q 99 11

Cfii~Jf 1ID~~ ~ Sfi~~~~ I

The catechu-pill for kings tambUla contained musk (Kasturi ) Sandal (Srikka1Jrja) camphor (Karpura) while the catechu-powder used with tiimbula contained powder of nutmeg (jiitiphala) camshyphor (Karpura) etc

(16) In the light of the history of Catechu in tambiila recorshyded above the following notes from the article on Catechu in the Hobson-Jobson (London 1903 pp 173-174) would be found inteshyresting shy

5 In the Bodhiiyaniyagrhyase$asutra (Mysore 1920P 374 - Prasna V

Chap 7 - Vanaspati-homa) worship of Sfifliltl~ (betel-nut tree) is

prescribed (e 5igfin~l~~ ~-il~~r) This text possibly belongs to 3rd on 4th Century AD (See p XXIV of P Hartings Edition of Selections from this text)

P K GODE

CATECHU also CUTCH and CAUT-An astringent extract from the wood of several species of Acacia (Acacia Catechu) the Khair and Acacia Suma Kurz AC Sundra De and probably more The extract is called in H Kath (Skt kvathto decoct) but the two first commercial names which we have given are doubtless taken from the southern forms of the word eg Can Kiichu Tarn Kiisu Malay Kachu De orta whose judgments are always worthy of respect considered~t to be the lycium of the ancients_ and always applied that name to it but Dr Royle has shown that lyciwm was an extract from certain species of berberis known in the bazars as Tasot Cutch is first mentioned by Barbosa among the drugs imported into Malacca But it remained unknown in Europe till brought from Japan about the middle of the 17th Century

Usages AD 1516 drugs from Cambay Cacho---Barbosa 191 AD 1554 - Cate (at Ormauz) they call Cacho shy

A Nunes 22 AD 1563 - the wood vulgarly called Cate - Garcia

f 125 AD 1578 - The Indians use this Cate mixt with Areca

and with Betel and by itself without other mixture --- Acosta Tract 150

AD 1585 - Sassetti mentions CiGiu as derived from lhe Khadira tree ie in modern Hindi Khair (Skt Khadira)

AD 1616 - Catcha --- Foster Letters 127

AD 1617 - Cacha (drug) - Cooks Diary i 294

AD 1759 -- Hortal and Catch Earth-oil and wood oil - List of Burma Products etc Oriental Report i 109

CAD 1760 - To these three articles (betel areca and chunam) is often added for luxury what they call Cachoonda a Japan-earth which from pershyfumes and other mixtures chiefly manufacture4 at Goa receives such improvement as to be sold to advantage when reimported to Japan Another addition too they use of what they call Catchoo being a blackish granuiated perfumed composition

- Grose i 233

AD 1813 -- The peasants manufacture Catechu or terra Japonica from the Keiri (Khair) tree (Mimosa

middot 2

STUDIES IN THE HISTORY OF TAMBULA

Catechu) which grows wild oh the hills of Konkana but In no other partopound the Indian Peninsula (erroneous) - Forbes Or Mem i 303 (2nd Ed i 193)

(17) The Khadiraplant has a great antiquity and sanctity In the Igveda (Book In Hymn 53) IndIa is invo~ed as followsshy

19 Enclose thee in the heart of Khayar (Khadira) timber in the car wrought of Simsapii put firmness (Griffiths Trans Vo I 1896 p 375)

Griffiths Note-Khayar-timber the hard wood of Khadira or Acacia Catechu of which the pin of theaxle was made Simsapii Dalbergia Sisu also a common timber tree

It would require a special monograph to trace the history of the Khadira tree from the time of the fgveda upto the present day This tree had great sanctity in ancient Indian sacrificial ritual as the sacrificial post was made of Khadira (Khiidira-yupa) Kautilya in his Arthasasta (Chap XVII of Book II oh Superintendent of Forest Produce p 107 of Eng trans by Shamashastry) mentions among forest products (1) Khadim (Mimosa Catechu ) and (2) Somavalka which is white Khadira (see p 625 of A$tiingahrdayashykosa by K M Vaidya 1936 -- article on Somavalka rrtentioned in the SutrastMna of the A$lartgahrdaya) The history of the ecoshynomic products of India on the strength middotof Indian sources has not yet been studied systematically Such history witl have a respectshyable place in any comprehensive history of Indian Culture when it comes to be written For this purpose each of these products must be studied separately from the historical and cultural point of view

(18) Berthold Lauter in his Sino-lranica (Chicago 1919 p 481) refers incidentally to Catechu as follows--

It is not intelligible to me why Hirth says that in the Ming dynasty (AD 1368-1644) 6 lu~wei Was as it is now Catechu a product of the Acacia Catechu (Sanskrit Khadira) No authority for this theory is cited but this is quite impossible as C(ltechu or Cutch was well known to the Chinese under the middot names er--Ca or hair-Ca (See Stuarl Chinese Materia Medica p 2 and Laufer L(an Words in Tibetan No 107 where the history of these words is traced)

6 See list of Chinese dynasties with dates at the end of Indian Literature in China and the Far East by P K Mukerji Calcutta 1931 (p 4 of the lis )

14 P K cODE

(19) In Section 13 of Chap 11 of the Cikitsiisthiina of the Smrutasarhhitii (N S Press Bombay 1938 p 450) the author describes the method of gathering the juice of Khadira (Acacia Catechu) directly from the tree as follows shy

~ta ~R(l~m~~~Ti1-SIma~~Fjfro~ ~~ir~ i1ltf~ ~~~ qmr ~fi~ltc(T a~~ +iltf~ ~ f~T ~m+iq ~ ~ftI13 aa) fltfTC ~~ ~~U01~r ~ltfu Cia ~ iiTi1~yen~T ~crf~a O1qiifiTlti ~~~ m~f+ir ~T~q~ tNI 01~ W~ Hr ~fu a~ffi~ ~ ~~r ilJif1~m ~ m~~~fu ltlI~ qt ~~ qfhm~ ni ~~+r=trr~ filtl~ ~a fir~ltfT~ etc

The Khadira-vidhiina or the method of gathering JUice of Catechu prescribed above was as follovvs-- A Khadira tree growing on good ground and of middle age was selected and ground about its bottom was dug out A cut was then made in its central root and a pitcher of iron or bronze (ayas) was so placed underneath as to admit the exuding juice The pitcher was then besmeared with a mixture of cow-dung and earth and later kept in th~ midst of fire produced from (dried) cow-dung and other fuel When the juice had boiled over the pitcher was lifted up and the juice poured in a separate pot and kept properly covered

The above method of gathering the juice from a Khadira tree so graphically described by Susrruta gives us a good glimpse of the processes employed by ancient Indians in the manufacture of herbal medicines

(20) The Yogaratniikara (Anandasrama Sanskrit Series Poona 1900) is a voluminous medical compendium compiled between cAlJ 1650 and 1725 as I have proved in my article on its date (Pages 154-156 of the Bharatiya Vidyii Bombay 1943 Vol IV) It conshytains a long extract of about 20 verses on tambUla (Verses 58-79 on page 35) The ingredients of tiimbiila mentioned in these verses are as follows- (1) ill (betel-nut) (2) CJt (camphor) (3) ~~~ (musk) (4) ~ (dove) (5) ~+fi~ (nutmeg) (6) al~~ or qui (betel-leaf) which should be ~ (whitish yellow) the betel~leaf from VaiigadeSa (Bengal) was the best (q~)il qJr q~ ~~

~ ) (7) Catechu (Khadina) (8) lime or chunam middot (CuriJ-a) The verses pertaining to CUTta and KhJ)dira are as followsshy

~~ CJlfifq~~~~ CRI~Tq~~ I ~TlTCf~ri ~~if~ ~fu q 11 9 ~ 11

~i ~~Rr ~~ltn~ ~~f~~ I

~~ fom~ ~ a~ -r~~T n ~~ 11

75 STUDIES IN THE HISTORY OF TAMBULA

Dhe properties of tobacco (~uni) are recorded in 7 verses on pp 17-18 At present some people chew tohacco powder along with tiimbUla or separately Verse 4 tells us that the use of tabacco is a remedy against diseases of the teeth (~~f1) and that it is a germicide ( fltif~EfI~mf )

The foregoing notes are sufficient to prove conclusively the use of Cur1Ja (lime) and Catechu (Khadir(l) as essential ingredients of tambUla for about 2000 years say from the first century of the Christian era upto the present day Further evidence on this topic has been gathered by me and I hope to record it in a subsequent paper

Appendix

(The hisory of the use of tiimbula in countries outside India must be studied critically with a view to understanding the spread of its use in India many years before CAD 400 In this connection I made inquiries of my friend Mademoiselle middot S lltclrpeles Secretary of Ecole Francaise dExtrerne-orient at Hanoi (Indo-China) and sent to her my paper on Indian Nut-Cracker She replied promptly in her letter of 16th March 1949 as follows -

Here is the name of the Nut-~Cracker (

Laotian - MITSANAK Vietnamese - DAO DAD

Cambodian - PRANAK

The habit of chewing betel is very tancient and current throughshyout the whole Peninsula and herewith a story about its origin found in old Vietnamese books translated into French It is Monsieur TRAN HAM TAN who took the trouble to find itollt

On getting the above story about the origin of tambUla I got it translated into English by my friend Dr R G Harshe Registrar Deccan College Research Institute Joona This Engiish translashytion is given below I take this opportunity of rec~rd~ng my best thanks to Miss Karpeles Mr Tran Ham Tan and Dr Harshe for their hearty co~operation with me in the present inquiry about the history of tiimbUla in Greater India

7 Prof R M Bhusari has drawn my attention to a genuine Marathi

word for the Nut-Craoker viz ~mUTr (Pophal-pho4a1ii) mentioned

in a Mahlanubhjava Marathi text of the 13th Century viz ~~(Edited

by H N Nene - ~~rc1 p 100)

16 P K GODE

The Life-story )f Tian and Lang (by Mr Tran Ham Tan Hanoi)

Formerly there lived a Prince Quan-Iang who had an imposing stature He received the title of Marquis of Cao as title of nobishylity Since then he took CfJO as the family name His two sons Tan and Lang resembled each other so much that one could not dismiddot tinguish the elder from the younger At the age of 17 or 18 they became orphans and went together to seek a preceptor for teaching them religion and philosophy The daughter of their preceptor Lun Huyen was also of 17 or 18 years of age When she saw the two brothers she fell in love with them Wishing to marry one of them she did not know as to who was the elder and who the younger of the two She gave both of them a single cup of meat-soup and one only pair of sticks in order to know the elder and the younger The junior passed all these things immediately to the senior She then requested her parents to marry her to the elder one The couple sometimes iived away from their little brother The younger brother felt it very much and saying to himself that his elder brother being in love with his wife had forgotten his brother on that account and without informing his elder brother he returned to the paternal house Coming to a deep stream atwhich there was no ferry he sat all alone and wept grievously and died then his dead-body was transformed into a tree the areca

When the elder one did not see any longer his YOW1ger brother he abandoned his wife in order to go in pursuit of him coming to the place where his younger brother had died he threw himself on the tree (ie areca) and died his dead body was transformed into a huge stone attached to the trunk of this tree When the young wife marked the disappearance of her husband she went in his pursuit coming to the place she learnt that her husqand was alshyready dead whereupon she thlew herself on the stone and emshybraced it till her death She was transformed into a Creeping stock which braided over the tree and the stone and from which were produced the odoriferous (sweet-smelling) leaves They were the leaves of the betel

Their parents (relatives) came there very much distressed and built a temple in their honour At the temple the passers-by offered to them the incense sticks praised their brotherly love and the conjugal duty of the victims

In the month of autumn the king Hung made a journey to this place Seeing this temple witil the tree surroimded by the creeping stalks he asked for its reason and being supplied with the

STUDIES IN THE HISTORY OF TAMBULA 77

information made the fruit and the leaf to ~brought to him He chewed them and spat its juice on the stone which was of a red colour and which emitted a good smell The king returned taking with him a fruit of areoa and a leaf of betel prepared with a little lime he chewed the betel and the areca~nut He even ordered that these newly discovered plants be planted in his kingdom and deshyclared that at marriages and feastsane ought middot to prepare a present consisting of the betel leaves and the nuts of arecaS

[This took pla-ce under the dynasty of the Hung-Vuong shy(2880-258 BC) 1

8 In India also we distribute Pim-Supiiri (betel-leaf and betel-nut) to all guests at marriages feasts and all social and cordial functions Do we owe this custom to Indo-China and other countries adjacent to India

STUDIES IN THE HISTORY middot OF T AMBULA

In the tlimbula also there is a combination of kramuka (betelshy

nut) and khadira (catechu)

(14) The Carakasarhhita (NS Press Bombay 1941) gives recipes of (1) a pill (gutika) of Catechu (Khadira-sara) and (2) oil from Catechu in the Cikitsaampthiina Chap 26 verses 206-214 (p 609) These recipes are prescribed for persons suffering from mukhashyToga (diseases of the mouth) The recipe of the Khadira-gutikii contains numerous ingredients like q~foI (sandal) ~~~ (clove) ii~)lt-5 rRtoiTIT (nutmeg or its outer covering) n~ar t1lafiT tt~l (cardamom) etc Some of these ingredients are used at present in tambula The verses referred to above begin with ~ T~RI~laquo and end with ~~r~~1ltt~ ~ q~1fi1 In this Khadira-GuJika of Caraka we have the ancestor of our modern scenshyted Kat-goli or Catechu pill used in TiimbUla

(15) The definite Catechu piU (Kat-goli) used in tiimbulais described in detail by Somesvara in his M iinasolliisa (Section on TiimbUla called tiimbula-bhoga) ~ Vol II (G O Series Baroda 1939) p 85 shy

( ~~W~I ) - e ijf~i1iN~ ~ ~furGrn~~ 11 QltlJ 11

m~~ ~~~~l~lt~ t ~fit~ ~+f~rtftcnf 1fi~r ~~T II Q It u 11

~~ltT ~ 1rtlirt q ~ I

( ~~msect~~~lt )-arll~R~~q TQ( ltiter(iR1gct~ 11 Q It amp 11

~mTli~~il ~Oliimf~a- ~~il~ I ~ltfuqTf~ 1fi~rfOi ~+J~~ 11 Q 99 11

Cfii~Jf 1ID~~ ~ Sfi~~~~ I

The catechu-pill for kings tambUla contained musk (Kasturi ) Sandal (Srikka1Jrja) camphor (Karpura) while the catechu-powder used with tiimbula contained powder of nutmeg (jiitiphala) camshyphor (Karpura) etc

(16) In the light of the history of Catechu in tambiila recorshyded above the following notes from the article on Catechu in the Hobson-Jobson (London 1903 pp 173-174) would be found inteshyresting shy

5 In the Bodhiiyaniyagrhyase$asutra (Mysore 1920P 374 - Prasna V

Chap 7 - Vanaspati-homa) worship of Sfifliltl~ (betel-nut tree) is

prescribed (e 5igfin~l~~ ~-il~~r) This text possibly belongs to 3rd on 4th Century AD (See p XXIV of P Hartings Edition of Selections from this text)

P K GODE

CATECHU also CUTCH and CAUT-An astringent extract from the wood of several species of Acacia (Acacia Catechu) the Khair and Acacia Suma Kurz AC Sundra De and probably more The extract is called in H Kath (Skt kvathto decoct) but the two first commercial names which we have given are doubtless taken from the southern forms of the word eg Can Kiichu Tarn Kiisu Malay Kachu De orta whose judgments are always worthy of respect considered~t to be the lycium of the ancients_ and always applied that name to it but Dr Royle has shown that lyciwm was an extract from certain species of berberis known in the bazars as Tasot Cutch is first mentioned by Barbosa among the drugs imported into Malacca But it remained unknown in Europe till brought from Japan about the middle of the 17th Century

Usages AD 1516 drugs from Cambay Cacho---Barbosa 191 AD 1554 - Cate (at Ormauz) they call Cacho shy

A Nunes 22 AD 1563 - the wood vulgarly called Cate - Garcia

f 125 AD 1578 - The Indians use this Cate mixt with Areca

and with Betel and by itself without other mixture --- Acosta Tract 150

AD 1585 - Sassetti mentions CiGiu as derived from lhe Khadira tree ie in modern Hindi Khair (Skt Khadira)

AD 1616 - Catcha --- Foster Letters 127

AD 1617 - Cacha (drug) - Cooks Diary i 294

AD 1759 -- Hortal and Catch Earth-oil and wood oil - List of Burma Products etc Oriental Report i 109

CAD 1760 - To these three articles (betel areca and chunam) is often added for luxury what they call Cachoonda a Japan-earth which from pershyfumes and other mixtures chiefly manufacture4 at Goa receives such improvement as to be sold to advantage when reimported to Japan Another addition too they use of what they call Catchoo being a blackish granuiated perfumed composition

- Grose i 233

AD 1813 -- The peasants manufacture Catechu or terra Japonica from the Keiri (Khair) tree (Mimosa

middot 2

STUDIES IN THE HISTORY OF TAMBULA

Catechu) which grows wild oh the hills of Konkana but In no other partopound the Indian Peninsula (erroneous) - Forbes Or Mem i 303 (2nd Ed i 193)

(17) The Khadiraplant has a great antiquity and sanctity In the Igveda (Book In Hymn 53) IndIa is invo~ed as followsshy

19 Enclose thee in the heart of Khayar (Khadira) timber in the car wrought of Simsapii put firmness (Griffiths Trans Vo I 1896 p 375)

Griffiths Note-Khayar-timber the hard wood of Khadira or Acacia Catechu of which the pin of theaxle was made Simsapii Dalbergia Sisu also a common timber tree

It would require a special monograph to trace the history of the Khadira tree from the time of the fgveda upto the present day This tree had great sanctity in ancient Indian sacrificial ritual as the sacrificial post was made of Khadira (Khiidira-yupa) Kautilya in his Arthasasta (Chap XVII of Book II oh Superintendent of Forest Produce p 107 of Eng trans by Shamashastry) mentions among forest products (1) Khadim (Mimosa Catechu ) and (2) Somavalka which is white Khadira (see p 625 of A$tiingahrdayashykosa by K M Vaidya 1936 -- article on Somavalka rrtentioned in the SutrastMna of the A$lartgahrdaya) The history of the ecoshynomic products of India on the strength middotof Indian sources has not yet been studied systematically Such history witl have a respectshyable place in any comprehensive history of Indian Culture when it comes to be written For this purpose each of these products must be studied separately from the historical and cultural point of view

(18) Berthold Lauter in his Sino-lranica (Chicago 1919 p 481) refers incidentally to Catechu as follows--

It is not intelligible to me why Hirth says that in the Ming dynasty (AD 1368-1644) 6 lu~wei Was as it is now Catechu a product of the Acacia Catechu (Sanskrit Khadira) No authority for this theory is cited but this is quite impossible as C(ltechu or Cutch was well known to the Chinese under the middot names er--Ca or hair-Ca (See Stuarl Chinese Materia Medica p 2 and Laufer L(an Words in Tibetan No 107 where the history of these words is traced)

6 See list of Chinese dynasties with dates at the end of Indian Literature in China and the Far East by P K Mukerji Calcutta 1931 (p 4 of the lis )

14 P K cODE

(19) In Section 13 of Chap 11 of the Cikitsiisthiina of the Smrutasarhhitii (N S Press Bombay 1938 p 450) the author describes the method of gathering the juice of Khadira (Acacia Catechu) directly from the tree as follows shy

~ta ~R(l~m~~~Ti1-SIma~~Fjfro~ ~~ir~ i1ltf~ ~~~ qmr ~fi~ltc(T a~~ +iltf~ ~ f~T ~m+iq ~ ~ftI13 aa) fltfTC ~~ ~~U01~r ~ltfu Cia ~ iiTi1~yen~T ~crf~a O1qiifiTlti ~~~ m~f+ir ~T~q~ tNI 01~ W~ Hr ~fu a~ffi~ ~ ~~r ilJif1~m ~ m~~~fu ltlI~ qt ~~ qfhm~ ni ~~+r=trr~ filtl~ ~a fir~ltfT~ etc

The Khadira-vidhiina or the method of gathering JUice of Catechu prescribed above was as follovvs-- A Khadira tree growing on good ground and of middle age was selected and ground about its bottom was dug out A cut was then made in its central root and a pitcher of iron or bronze (ayas) was so placed underneath as to admit the exuding juice The pitcher was then besmeared with a mixture of cow-dung and earth and later kept in th~ midst of fire produced from (dried) cow-dung and other fuel When the juice had boiled over the pitcher was lifted up and the juice poured in a separate pot and kept properly covered

The above method of gathering the juice from a Khadira tree so graphically described by Susrruta gives us a good glimpse of the processes employed by ancient Indians in the manufacture of herbal medicines

(20) The Yogaratniikara (Anandasrama Sanskrit Series Poona 1900) is a voluminous medical compendium compiled between cAlJ 1650 and 1725 as I have proved in my article on its date (Pages 154-156 of the Bharatiya Vidyii Bombay 1943 Vol IV) It conshytains a long extract of about 20 verses on tambUla (Verses 58-79 on page 35) The ingredients of tiimbiila mentioned in these verses are as follows- (1) ill (betel-nut) (2) CJt (camphor) (3) ~~~ (musk) (4) ~ (dove) (5) ~+fi~ (nutmeg) (6) al~~ or qui (betel-leaf) which should be ~ (whitish yellow) the betel~leaf from VaiigadeSa (Bengal) was the best (q~)il qJr q~ ~~

~ ) (7) Catechu (Khadina) (8) lime or chunam middot (CuriJ-a) The verses pertaining to CUTta and KhJ)dira are as followsshy

~~ CJlfifq~~~~ CRI~Tq~~ I ~TlTCf~ri ~~if~ ~fu q 11 9 ~ 11

~i ~~Rr ~~ltn~ ~~f~~ I

~~ fom~ ~ a~ -r~~T n ~~ 11

75 STUDIES IN THE HISTORY OF TAMBULA

Dhe properties of tobacco (~uni) are recorded in 7 verses on pp 17-18 At present some people chew tohacco powder along with tiimbUla or separately Verse 4 tells us that the use of tabacco is a remedy against diseases of the teeth (~~f1) and that it is a germicide ( fltif~EfI~mf )

The foregoing notes are sufficient to prove conclusively the use of Cur1Ja (lime) and Catechu (Khadir(l) as essential ingredients of tambUla for about 2000 years say from the first century of the Christian era upto the present day Further evidence on this topic has been gathered by me and I hope to record it in a subsequent paper

Appendix

(The hisory of the use of tiimbula in countries outside India must be studied critically with a view to understanding the spread of its use in India many years before CAD 400 In this connection I made inquiries of my friend Mademoiselle middot S lltclrpeles Secretary of Ecole Francaise dExtrerne-orient at Hanoi (Indo-China) and sent to her my paper on Indian Nut-Cracker She replied promptly in her letter of 16th March 1949 as follows -

Here is the name of the Nut-~Cracker (

Laotian - MITSANAK Vietnamese - DAO DAD

Cambodian - PRANAK

The habit of chewing betel is very tancient and current throughshyout the whole Peninsula and herewith a story about its origin found in old Vietnamese books translated into French It is Monsieur TRAN HAM TAN who took the trouble to find itollt

On getting the above story about the origin of tambUla I got it translated into English by my friend Dr R G Harshe Registrar Deccan College Research Institute Joona This Engiish translashytion is given below I take this opportunity of rec~rd~ng my best thanks to Miss Karpeles Mr Tran Ham Tan and Dr Harshe for their hearty co~operation with me in the present inquiry about the history of tiimbUla in Greater India

7 Prof R M Bhusari has drawn my attention to a genuine Marathi

word for the Nut-Craoker viz ~mUTr (Pophal-pho4a1ii) mentioned

in a Mahlanubhjava Marathi text of the 13th Century viz ~~(Edited

by H N Nene - ~~rc1 p 100)

16 P K GODE

The Life-story )f Tian and Lang (by Mr Tran Ham Tan Hanoi)

Formerly there lived a Prince Quan-Iang who had an imposing stature He received the title of Marquis of Cao as title of nobishylity Since then he took CfJO as the family name His two sons Tan and Lang resembled each other so much that one could not dismiddot tinguish the elder from the younger At the age of 17 or 18 they became orphans and went together to seek a preceptor for teaching them religion and philosophy The daughter of their preceptor Lun Huyen was also of 17 or 18 years of age When she saw the two brothers she fell in love with them Wishing to marry one of them she did not know as to who was the elder and who the younger of the two She gave both of them a single cup of meat-soup and one only pair of sticks in order to know the elder and the younger The junior passed all these things immediately to the senior She then requested her parents to marry her to the elder one The couple sometimes iived away from their little brother The younger brother felt it very much and saying to himself that his elder brother being in love with his wife had forgotten his brother on that account and without informing his elder brother he returned to the paternal house Coming to a deep stream atwhich there was no ferry he sat all alone and wept grievously and died then his dead-body was transformed into a tree the areca

When the elder one did not see any longer his YOW1ger brother he abandoned his wife in order to go in pursuit of him coming to the place where his younger brother had died he threw himself on the tree (ie areca) and died his dead body was transformed into a huge stone attached to the trunk of this tree When the young wife marked the disappearance of her husband she went in his pursuit coming to the place she learnt that her husqand was alshyready dead whereupon she thlew herself on the stone and emshybraced it till her death She was transformed into a Creeping stock which braided over the tree and the stone and from which were produced the odoriferous (sweet-smelling) leaves They were the leaves of the betel

Their parents (relatives) came there very much distressed and built a temple in their honour At the temple the passers-by offered to them the incense sticks praised their brotherly love and the conjugal duty of the victims

In the month of autumn the king Hung made a journey to this place Seeing this temple witil the tree surroimded by the creeping stalks he asked for its reason and being supplied with the

STUDIES IN THE HISTORY OF TAMBULA 77

information made the fruit and the leaf to ~brought to him He chewed them and spat its juice on the stone which was of a red colour and which emitted a good smell The king returned taking with him a fruit of areoa and a leaf of betel prepared with a little lime he chewed the betel and the areca~nut He even ordered that these newly discovered plants be planted in his kingdom and deshyclared that at marriages and feastsane ought middot to prepare a present consisting of the betel leaves and the nuts of arecaS

[This took pla-ce under the dynasty of the Hung-Vuong shy(2880-258 BC) 1

8 In India also we distribute Pim-Supiiri (betel-leaf and betel-nut) to all guests at marriages feasts and all social and cordial functions Do we owe this custom to Indo-China and other countries adjacent to India

P K GODE

CATECHU also CUTCH and CAUT-An astringent extract from the wood of several species of Acacia (Acacia Catechu) the Khair and Acacia Suma Kurz AC Sundra De and probably more The extract is called in H Kath (Skt kvathto decoct) but the two first commercial names which we have given are doubtless taken from the southern forms of the word eg Can Kiichu Tarn Kiisu Malay Kachu De orta whose judgments are always worthy of respect considered~t to be the lycium of the ancients_ and always applied that name to it but Dr Royle has shown that lyciwm was an extract from certain species of berberis known in the bazars as Tasot Cutch is first mentioned by Barbosa among the drugs imported into Malacca But it remained unknown in Europe till brought from Japan about the middle of the 17th Century

Usages AD 1516 drugs from Cambay Cacho---Barbosa 191 AD 1554 - Cate (at Ormauz) they call Cacho shy

A Nunes 22 AD 1563 - the wood vulgarly called Cate - Garcia

f 125 AD 1578 - The Indians use this Cate mixt with Areca

and with Betel and by itself without other mixture --- Acosta Tract 150

AD 1585 - Sassetti mentions CiGiu as derived from lhe Khadira tree ie in modern Hindi Khair (Skt Khadira)

AD 1616 - Catcha --- Foster Letters 127

AD 1617 - Cacha (drug) - Cooks Diary i 294

AD 1759 -- Hortal and Catch Earth-oil and wood oil - List of Burma Products etc Oriental Report i 109

CAD 1760 - To these three articles (betel areca and chunam) is often added for luxury what they call Cachoonda a Japan-earth which from pershyfumes and other mixtures chiefly manufacture4 at Goa receives such improvement as to be sold to advantage when reimported to Japan Another addition too they use of what they call Catchoo being a blackish granuiated perfumed composition

- Grose i 233

AD 1813 -- The peasants manufacture Catechu or terra Japonica from the Keiri (Khair) tree (Mimosa

middot 2

STUDIES IN THE HISTORY OF TAMBULA

Catechu) which grows wild oh the hills of Konkana but In no other partopound the Indian Peninsula (erroneous) - Forbes Or Mem i 303 (2nd Ed i 193)

(17) The Khadiraplant has a great antiquity and sanctity In the Igveda (Book In Hymn 53) IndIa is invo~ed as followsshy

19 Enclose thee in the heart of Khayar (Khadira) timber in the car wrought of Simsapii put firmness (Griffiths Trans Vo I 1896 p 375)

Griffiths Note-Khayar-timber the hard wood of Khadira or Acacia Catechu of which the pin of theaxle was made Simsapii Dalbergia Sisu also a common timber tree

It would require a special monograph to trace the history of the Khadira tree from the time of the fgveda upto the present day This tree had great sanctity in ancient Indian sacrificial ritual as the sacrificial post was made of Khadira (Khiidira-yupa) Kautilya in his Arthasasta (Chap XVII of Book II oh Superintendent of Forest Produce p 107 of Eng trans by Shamashastry) mentions among forest products (1) Khadim (Mimosa Catechu ) and (2) Somavalka which is white Khadira (see p 625 of A$tiingahrdayashykosa by K M Vaidya 1936 -- article on Somavalka rrtentioned in the SutrastMna of the A$lartgahrdaya) The history of the ecoshynomic products of India on the strength middotof Indian sources has not yet been studied systematically Such history witl have a respectshyable place in any comprehensive history of Indian Culture when it comes to be written For this purpose each of these products must be studied separately from the historical and cultural point of view

(18) Berthold Lauter in his Sino-lranica (Chicago 1919 p 481) refers incidentally to Catechu as follows--

It is not intelligible to me why Hirth says that in the Ming dynasty (AD 1368-1644) 6 lu~wei Was as it is now Catechu a product of the Acacia Catechu (Sanskrit Khadira) No authority for this theory is cited but this is quite impossible as C(ltechu or Cutch was well known to the Chinese under the middot names er--Ca or hair-Ca (See Stuarl Chinese Materia Medica p 2 and Laufer L(an Words in Tibetan No 107 where the history of these words is traced)

6 See list of Chinese dynasties with dates at the end of Indian Literature in China and the Far East by P K Mukerji Calcutta 1931 (p 4 of the lis )

14 P K cODE

(19) In Section 13 of Chap 11 of the Cikitsiisthiina of the Smrutasarhhitii (N S Press Bombay 1938 p 450) the author describes the method of gathering the juice of Khadira (Acacia Catechu) directly from the tree as follows shy

~ta ~R(l~m~~~Ti1-SIma~~Fjfro~ ~~ir~ i1ltf~ ~~~ qmr ~fi~ltc(T a~~ +iltf~ ~ f~T ~m+iq ~ ~ftI13 aa) fltfTC ~~ ~~U01~r ~ltfu Cia ~ iiTi1~yen~T ~crf~a O1qiifiTlti ~~~ m~f+ir ~T~q~ tNI 01~ W~ Hr ~fu a~ffi~ ~ ~~r ilJif1~m ~ m~~~fu ltlI~ qt ~~ qfhm~ ni ~~+r=trr~ filtl~ ~a fir~ltfT~ etc

The Khadira-vidhiina or the method of gathering JUice of Catechu prescribed above was as follovvs-- A Khadira tree growing on good ground and of middle age was selected and ground about its bottom was dug out A cut was then made in its central root and a pitcher of iron or bronze (ayas) was so placed underneath as to admit the exuding juice The pitcher was then besmeared with a mixture of cow-dung and earth and later kept in th~ midst of fire produced from (dried) cow-dung and other fuel When the juice had boiled over the pitcher was lifted up and the juice poured in a separate pot and kept properly covered

The above method of gathering the juice from a Khadira tree so graphically described by Susrruta gives us a good glimpse of the processes employed by ancient Indians in the manufacture of herbal medicines

(20) The Yogaratniikara (Anandasrama Sanskrit Series Poona 1900) is a voluminous medical compendium compiled between cAlJ 1650 and 1725 as I have proved in my article on its date (Pages 154-156 of the Bharatiya Vidyii Bombay 1943 Vol IV) It conshytains a long extract of about 20 verses on tambUla (Verses 58-79 on page 35) The ingredients of tiimbiila mentioned in these verses are as follows- (1) ill (betel-nut) (2) CJt (camphor) (3) ~~~ (musk) (4) ~ (dove) (5) ~+fi~ (nutmeg) (6) al~~ or qui (betel-leaf) which should be ~ (whitish yellow) the betel~leaf from VaiigadeSa (Bengal) was the best (q~)il qJr q~ ~~

~ ) (7) Catechu (Khadina) (8) lime or chunam middot (CuriJ-a) The verses pertaining to CUTta and KhJ)dira are as followsshy

~~ CJlfifq~~~~ CRI~Tq~~ I ~TlTCf~ri ~~if~ ~fu q 11 9 ~ 11

~i ~~Rr ~~ltn~ ~~f~~ I

~~ fom~ ~ a~ -r~~T n ~~ 11

75 STUDIES IN THE HISTORY OF TAMBULA

Dhe properties of tobacco (~uni) are recorded in 7 verses on pp 17-18 At present some people chew tohacco powder along with tiimbUla or separately Verse 4 tells us that the use of tabacco is a remedy against diseases of the teeth (~~f1) and that it is a germicide ( fltif~EfI~mf )

The foregoing notes are sufficient to prove conclusively the use of Cur1Ja (lime) and Catechu (Khadir(l) as essential ingredients of tambUla for about 2000 years say from the first century of the Christian era upto the present day Further evidence on this topic has been gathered by me and I hope to record it in a subsequent paper

Appendix

(The hisory of the use of tiimbula in countries outside India must be studied critically with a view to understanding the spread of its use in India many years before CAD 400 In this connection I made inquiries of my friend Mademoiselle middot S lltclrpeles Secretary of Ecole Francaise dExtrerne-orient at Hanoi (Indo-China) and sent to her my paper on Indian Nut-Cracker She replied promptly in her letter of 16th March 1949 as follows -

Here is the name of the Nut-~Cracker (

Laotian - MITSANAK Vietnamese - DAO DAD

Cambodian - PRANAK

The habit of chewing betel is very tancient and current throughshyout the whole Peninsula and herewith a story about its origin found in old Vietnamese books translated into French It is Monsieur TRAN HAM TAN who took the trouble to find itollt

On getting the above story about the origin of tambUla I got it translated into English by my friend Dr R G Harshe Registrar Deccan College Research Institute Joona This Engiish translashytion is given below I take this opportunity of rec~rd~ng my best thanks to Miss Karpeles Mr Tran Ham Tan and Dr Harshe for their hearty co~operation with me in the present inquiry about the history of tiimbUla in Greater India

7 Prof R M Bhusari has drawn my attention to a genuine Marathi

word for the Nut-Craoker viz ~mUTr (Pophal-pho4a1ii) mentioned

in a Mahlanubhjava Marathi text of the 13th Century viz ~~(Edited

by H N Nene - ~~rc1 p 100)

16 P K GODE

The Life-story )f Tian and Lang (by Mr Tran Ham Tan Hanoi)

Formerly there lived a Prince Quan-Iang who had an imposing stature He received the title of Marquis of Cao as title of nobishylity Since then he took CfJO as the family name His two sons Tan and Lang resembled each other so much that one could not dismiddot tinguish the elder from the younger At the age of 17 or 18 they became orphans and went together to seek a preceptor for teaching them religion and philosophy The daughter of their preceptor Lun Huyen was also of 17 or 18 years of age When she saw the two brothers she fell in love with them Wishing to marry one of them she did not know as to who was the elder and who the younger of the two She gave both of them a single cup of meat-soup and one only pair of sticks in order to know the elder and the younger The junior passed all these things immediately to the senior She then requested her parents to marry her to the elder one The couple sometimes iived away from their little brother The younger brother felt it very much and saying to himself that his elder brother being in love with his wife had forgotten his brother on that account and without informing his elder brother he returned to the paternal house Coming to a deep stream atwhich there was no ferry he sat all alone and wept grievously and died then his dead-body was transformed into a tree the areca

When the elder one did not see any longer his YOW1ger brother he abandoned his wife in order to go in pursuit of him coming to the place where his younger brother had died he threw himself on the tree (ie areca) and died his dead body was transformed into a huge stone attached to the trunk of this tree When the young wife marked the disappearance of her husband she went in his pursuit coming to the place she learnt that her husqand was alshyready dead whereupon she thlew herself on the stone and emshybraced it till her death She was transformed into a Creeping stock which braided over the tree and the stone and from which were produced the odoriferous (sweet-smelling) leaves They were the leaves of the betel

Their parents (relatives) came there very much distressed and built a temple in their honour At the temple the passers-by offered to them the incense sticks praised their brotherly love and the conjugal duty of the victims

In the month of autumn the king Hung made a journey to this place Seeing this temple witil the tree surroimded by the creeping stalks he asked for its reason and being supplied with the

STUDIES IN THE HISTORY OF TAMBULA 77

information made the fruit and the leaf to ~brought to him He chewed them and spat its juice on the stone which was of a red colour and which emitted a good smell The king returned taking with him a fruit of areoa and a leaf of betel prepared with a little lime he chewed the betel and the areca~nut He even ordered that these newly discovered plants be planted in his kingdom and deshyclared that at marriages and feastsane ought middot to prepare a present consisting of the betel leaves and the nuts of arecaS

[This took pla-ce under the dynasty of the Hung-Vuong shy(2880-258 BC) 1

8 In India also we distribute Pim-Supiiri (betel-leaf and betel-nut) to all guests at marriages feasts and all social and cordial functions Do we owe this custom to Indo-China and other countries adjacent to India

middot 2

STUDIES IN THE HISTORY OF TAMBULA

Catechu) which grows wild oh the hills of Konkana but In no other partopound the Indian Peninsula (erroneous) - Forbes Or Mem i 303 (2nd Ed i 193)

(17) The Khadiraplant has a great antiquity and sanctity In the Igveda (Book In Hymn 53) IndIa is invo~ed as followsshy

19 Enclose thee in the heart of Khayar (Khadira) timber in the car wrought of Simsapii put firmness (Griffiths Trans Vo I 1896 p 375)

Griffiths Note-Khayar-timber the hard wood of Khadira or Acacia Catechu of which the pin of theaxle was made Simsapii Dalbergia Sisu also a common timber tree

It would require a special monograph to trace the history of the Khadira tree from the time of the fgveda upto the present day This tree had great sanctity in ancient Indian sacrificial ritual as the sacrificial post was made of Khadira (Khiidira-yupa) Kautilya in his Arthasasta (Chap XVII of Book II oh Superintendent of Forest Produce p 107 of Eng trans by Shamashastry) mentions among forest products (1) Khadim (Mimosa Catechu ) and (2) Somavalka which is white Khadira (see p 625 of A$tiingahrdayashykosa by K M Vaidya 1936 -- article on Somavalka rrtentioned in the SutrastMna of the A$lartgahrdaya) The history of the ecoshynomic products of India on the strength middotof Indian sources has not yet been studied systematically Such history witl have a respectshyable place in any comprehensive history of Indian Culture when it comes to be written For this purpose each of these products must be studied separately from the historical and cultural point of view

(18) Berthold Lauter in his Sino-lranica (Chicago 1919 p 481) refers incidentally to Catechu as follows--

It is not intelligible to me why Hirth says that in the Ming dynasty (AD 1368-1644) 6 lu~wei Was as it is now Catechu a product of the Acacia Catechu (Sanskrit Khadira) No authority for this theory is cited but this is quite impossible as C(ltechu or Cutch was well known to the Chinese under the middot names er--Ca or hair-Ca (See Stuarl Chinese Materia Medica p 2 and Laufer L(an Words in Tibetan No 107 where the history of these words is traced)

6 See list of Chinese dynasties with dates at the end of Indian Literature in China and the Far East by P K Mukerji Calcutta 1931 (p 4 of the lis )

14 P K cODE

(19) In Section 13 of Chap 11 of the Cikitsiisthiina of the Smrutasarhhitii (N S Press Bombay 1938 p 450) the author describes the method of gathering the juice of Khadira (Acacia Catechu) directly from the tree as follows shy

~ta ~R(l~m~~~Ti1-SIma~~Fjfro~ ~~ir~ i1ltf~ ~~~ qmr ~fi~ltc(T a~~ +iltf~ ~ f~T ~m+iq ~ ~ftI13 aa) fltfTC ~~ ~~U01~r ~ltfu Cia ~ iiTi1~yen~T ~crf~a O1qiifiTlti ~~~ m~f+ir ~T~q~ tNI 01~ W~ Hr ~fu a~ffi~ ~ ~~r ilJif1~m ~ m~~~fu ltlI~ qt ~~ qfhm~ ni ~~+r=trr~ filtl~ ~a fir~ltfT~ etc

The Khadira-vidhiina or the method of gathering JUice of Catechu prescribed above was as follovvs-- A Khadira tree growing on good ground and of middle age was selected and ground about its bottom was dug out A cut was then made in its central root and a pitcher of iron or bronze (ayas) was so placed underneath as to admit the exuding juice The pitcher was then besmeared with a mixture of cow-dung and earth and later kept in th~ midst of fire produced from (dried) cow-dung and other fuel When the juice had boiled over the pitcher was lifted up and the juice poured in a separate pot and kept properly covered

The above method of gathering the juice from a Khadira tree so graphically described by Susrruta gives us a good glimpse of the processes employed by ancient Indians in the manufacture of herbal medicines

(20) The Yogaratniikara (Anandasrama Sanskrit Series Poona 1900) is a voluminous medical compendium compiled between cAlJ 1650 and 1725 as I have proved in my article on its date (Pages 154-156 of the Bharatiya Vidyii Bombay 1943 Vol IV) It conshytains a long extract of about 20 verses on tambUla (Verses 58-79 on page 35) The ingredients of tiimbiila mentioned in these verses are as follows- (1) ill (betel-nut) (2) CJt (camphor) (3) ~~~ (musk) (4) ~ (dove) (5) ~+fi~ (nutmeg) (6) al~~ or qui (betel-leaf) which should be ~ (whitish yellow) the betel~leaf from VaiigadeSa (Bengal) was the best (q~)il qJr q~ ~~

~ ) (7) Catechu (Khadina) (8) lime or chunam middot (CuriJ-a) The verses pertaining to CUTta and KhJ)dira are as followsshy

~~ CJlfifq~~~~ CRI~Tq~~ I ~TlTCf~ri ~~if~ ~fu q 11 9 ~ 11

~i ~~Rr ~~ltn~ ~~f~~ I

~~ fom~ ~ a~ -r~~T n ~~ 11

75 STUDIES IN THE HISTORY OF TAMBULA

Dhe properties of tobacco (~uni) are recorded in 7 verses on pp 17-18 At present some people chew tohacco powder along with tiimbUla or separately Verse 4 tells us that the use of tabacco is a remedy against diseases of the teeth (~~f1) and that it is a germicide ( fltif~EfI~mf )

The foregoing notes are sufficient to prove conclusively the use of Cur1Ja (lime) and Catechu (Khadir(l) as essential ingredients of tambUla for about 2000 years say from the first century of the Christian era upto the present day Further evidence on this topic has been gathered by me and I hope to record it in a subsequent paper

Appendix

(The hisory of the use of tiimbula in countries outside India must be studied critically with a view to understanding the spread of its use in India many years before CAD 400 In this connection I made inquiries of my friend Mademoiselle middot S lltclrpeles Secretary of Ecole Francaise dExtrerne-orient at Hanoi (Indo-China) and sent to her my paper on Indian Nut-Cracker She replied promptly in her letter of 16th March 1949 as follows -

Here is the name of the Nut-~Cracker (

Laotian - MITSANAK Vietnamese - DAO DAD

Cambodian - PRANAK

The habit of chewing betel is very tancient and current throughshyout the whole Peninsula and herewith a story about its origin found in old Vietnamese books translated into French It is Monsieur TRAN HAM TAN who took the trouble to find itollt

On getting the above story about the origin of tambUla I got it translated into English by my friend Dr R G Harshe Registrar Deccan College Research Institute Joona This Engiish translashytion is given below I take this opportunity of rec~rd~ng my best thanks to Miss Karpeles Mr Tran Ham Tan and Dr Harshe for their hearty co~operation with me in the present inquiry about the history of tiimbUla in Greater India

7 Prof R M Bhusari has drawn my attention to a genuine Marathi

word for the Nut-Craoker viz ~mUTr (Pophal-pho4a1ii) mentioned

in a Mahlanubhjava Marathi text of the 13th Century viz ~~(Edited

by H N Nene - ~~rc1 p 100)

16 P K GODE

The Life-story )f Tian and Lang (by Mr Tran Ham Tan Hanoi)

Formerly there lived a Prince Quan-Iang who had an imposing stature He received the title of Marquis of Cao as title of nobishylity Since then he took CfJO as the family name His two sons Tan and Lang resembled each other so much that one could not dismiddot tinguish the elder from the younger At the age of 17 or 18 they became orphans and went together to seek a preceptor for teaching them religion and philosophy The daughter of their preceptor Lun Huyen was also of 17 or 18 years of age When she saw the two brothers she fell in love with them Wishing to marry one of them she did not know as to who was the elder and who the younger of the two She gave both of them a single cup of meat-soup and one only pair of sticks in order to know the elder and the younger The junior passed all these things immediately to the senior She then requested her parents to marry her to the elder one The couple sometimes iived away from their little brother The younger brother felt it very much and saying to himself that his elder brother being in love with his wife had forgotten his brother on that account and without informing his elder brother he returned to the paternal house Coming to a deep stream atwhich there was no ferry he sat all alone and wept grievously and died then his dead-body was transformed into a tree the areca

When the elder one did not see any longer his YOW1ger brother he abandoned his wife in order to go in pursuit of him coming to the place where his younger brother had died he threw himself on the tree (ie areca) and died his dead body was transformed into a huge stone attached to the trunk of this tree When the young wife marked the disappearance of her husband she went in his pursuit coming to the place she learnt that her husqand was alshyready dead whereupon she thlew herself on the stone and emshybraced it till her death She was transformed into a Creeping stock which braided over the tree and the stone and from which were produced the odoriferous (sweet-smelling) leaves They were the leaves of the betel

Their parents (relatives) came there very much distressed and built a temple in their honour At the temple the passers-by offered to them the incense sticks praised their brotherly love and the conjugal duty of the victims

In the month of autumn the king Hung made a journey to this place Seeing this temple witil the tree surroimded by the creeping stalks he asked for its reason and being supplied with the

STUDIES IN THE HISTORY OF TAMBULA 77

information made the fruit and the leaf to ~brought to him He chewed them and spat its juice on the stone which was of a red colour and which emitted a good smell The king returned taking with him a fruit of areoa and a leaf of betel prepared with a little lime he chewed the betel and the areca~nut He even ordered that these newly discovered plants be planted in his kingdom and deshyclared that at marriages and feastsane ought middot to prepare a present consisting of the betel leaves and the nuts of arecaS

[This took pla-ce under the dynasty of the Hung-Vuong shy(2880-258 BC) 1

8 In India also we distribute Pim-Supiiri (betel-leaf and betel-nut) to all guests at marriages feasts and all social and cordial functions Do we owe this custom to Indo-China and other countries adjacent to India

14 P K cODE

(19) In Section 13 of Chap 11 of the Cikitsiisthiina of the Smrutasarhhitii (N S Press Bombay 1938 p 450) the author describes the method of gathering the juice of Khadira (Acacia Catechu) directly from the tree as follows shy

~ta ~R(l~m~~~Ti1-SIma~~Fjfro~ ~~ir~ i1ltf~ ~~~ qmr ~fi~ltc(T a~~ +iltf~ ~ f~T ~m+iq ~ ~ftI13 aa) fltfTC ~~ ~~U01~r ~ltfu Cia ~ iiTi1~yen~T ~crf~a O1qiifiTlti ~~~ m~f+ir ~T~q~ tNI 01~ W~ Hr ~fu a~ffi~ ~ ~~r ilJif1~m ~ m~~~fu ltlI~ qt ~~ qfhm~ ni ~~+r=trr~ filtl~ ~a fir~ltfT~ etc

The Khadira-vidhiina or the method of gathering JUice of Catechu prescribed above was as follovvs-- A Khadira tree growing on good ground and of middle age was selected and ground about its bottom was dug out A cut was then made in its central root and a pitcher of iron or bronze (ayas) was so placed underneath as to admit the exuding juice The pitcher was then besmeared with a mixture of cow-dung and earth and later kept in th~ midst of fire produced from (dried) cow-dung and other fuel When the juice had boiled over the pitcher was lifted up and the juice poured in a separate pot and kept properly covered

The above method of gathering the juice from a Khadira tree so graphically described by Susrruta gives us a good glimpse of the processes employed by ancient Indians in the manufacture of herbal medicines

(20) The Yogaratniikara (Anandasrama Sanskrit Series Poona 1900) is a voluminous medical compendium compiled between cAlJ 1650 and 1725 as I have proved in my article on its date (Pages 154-156 of the Bharatiya Vidyii Bombay 1943 Vol IV) It conshytains a long extract of about 20 verses on tambUla (Verses 58-79 on page 35) The ingredients of tiimbiila mentioned in these verses are as follows- (1) ill (betel-nut) (2) CJt (camphor) (3) ~~~ (musk) (4) ~ (dove) (5) ~+fi~ (nutmeg) (6) al~~ or qui (betel-leaf) which should be ~ (whitish yellow) the betel~leaf from VaiigadeSa (Bengal) was the best (q~)il qJr q~ ~~

~ ) (7) Catechu (Khadina) (8) lime or chunam middot (CuriJ-a) The verses pertaining to CUTta and KhJ)dira are as followsshy

~~ CJlfifq~~~~ CRI~Tq~~ I ~TlTCf~ri ~~if~ ~fu q 11 9 ~ 11

~i ~~Rr ~~ltn~ ~~f~~ I

~~ fom~ ~ a~ -r~~T n ~~ 11

75 STUDIES IN THE HISTORY OF TAMBULA

Dhe properties of tobacco (~uni) are recorded in 7 verses on pp 17-18 At present some people chew tohacco powder along with tiimbUla or separately Verse 4 tells us that the use of tabacco is a remedy against diseases of the teeth (~~f1) and that it is a germicide ( fltif~EfI~mf )

The foregoing notes are sufficient to prove conclusively the use of Cur1Ja (lime) and Catechu (Khadir(l) as essential ingredients of tambUla for about 2000 years say from the first century of the Christian era upto the present day Further evidence on this topic has been gathered by me and I hope to record it in a subsequent paper

Appendix

(The hisory of the use of tiimbula in countries outside India must be studied critically with a view to understanding the spread of its use in India many years before CAD 400 In this connection I made inquiries of my friend Mademoiselle middot S lltclrpeles Secretary of Ecole Francaise dExtrerne-orient at Hanoi (Indo-China) and sent to her my paper on Indian Nut-Cracker She replied promptly in her letter of 16th March 1949 as follows -

Here is the name of the Nut-~Cracker (

Laotian - MITSANAK Vietnamese - DAO DAD

Cambodian - PRANAK

The habit of chewing betel is very tancient and current throughshyout the whole Peninsula and herewith a story about its origin found in old Vietnamese books translated into French It is Monsieur TRAN HAM TAN who took the trouble to find itollt

On getting the above story about the origin of tambUla I got it translated into English by my friend Dr R G Harshe Registrar Deccan College Research Institute Joona This Engiish translashytion is given below I take this opportunity of rec~rd~ng my best thanks to Miss Karpeles Mr Tran Ham Tan and Dr Harshe for their hearty co~operation with me in the present inquiry about the history of tiimbUla in Greater India

7 Prof R M Bhusari has drawn my attention to a genuine Marathi

word for the Nut-Craoker viz ~mUTr (Pophal-pho4a1ii) mentioned

in a Mahlanubhjava Marathi text of the 13th Century viz ~~(Edited

by H N Nene - ~~rc1 p 100)

16 P K GODE

The Life-story )f Tian and Lang (by Mr Tran Ham Tan Hanoi)

Formerly there lived a Prince Quan-Iang who had an imposing stature He received the title of Marquis of Cao as title of nobishylity Since then he took CfJO as the family name His two sons Tan and Lang resembled each other so much that one could not dismiddot tinguish the elder from the younger At the age of 17 or 18 they became orphans and went together to seek a preceptor for teaching them religion and philosophy The daughter of their preceptor Lun Huyen was also of 17 or 18 years of age When she saw the two brothers she fell in love with them Wishing to marry one of them she did not know as to who was the elder and who the younger of the two She gave both of them a single cup of meat-soup and one only pair of sticks in order to know the elder and the younger The junior passed all these things immediately to the senior She then requested her parents to marry her to the elder one The couple sometimes iived away from their little brother The younger brother felt it very much and saying to himself that his elder brother being in love with his wife had forgotten his brother on that account and without informing his elder brother he returned to the paternal house Coming to a deep stream atwhich there was no ferry he sat all alone and wept grievously and died then his dead-body was transformed into a tree the areca

When the elder one did not see any longer his YOW1ger brother he abandoned his wife in order to go in pursuit of him coming to the place where his younger brother had died he threw himself on the tree (ie areca) and died his dead body was transformed into a huge stone attached to the trunk of this tree When the young wife marked the disappearance of her husband she went in his pursuit coming to the place she learnt that her husqand was alshyready dead whereupon she thlew herself on the stone and emshybraced it till her death She was transformed into a Creeping stock which braided over the tree and the stone and from which were produced the odoriferous (sweet-smelling) leaves They were the leaves of the betel

Their parents (relatives) came there very much distressed and built a temple in their honour At the temple the passers-by offered to them the incense sticks praised their brotherly love and the conjugal duty of the victims

In the month of autumn the king Hung made a journey to this place Seeing this temple witil the tree surroimded by the creeping stalks he asked for its reason and being supplied with the

STUDIES IN THE HISTORY OF TAMBULA 77

information made the fruit and the leaf to ~brought to him He chewed them and spat its juice on the stone which was of a red colour and which emitted a good smell The king returned taking with him a fruit of areoa and a leaf of betel prepared with a little lime he chewed the betel and the areca~nut He even ordered that these newly discovered plants be planted in his kingdom and deshyclared that at marriages and feastsane ought middot to prepare a present consisting of the betel leaves and the nuts of arecaS

[This took pla-ce under the dynasty of the Hung-Vuong shy(2880-258 BC) 1

8 In India also we distribute Pim-Supiiri (betel-leaf and betel-nut) to all guests at marriages feasts and all social and cordial functions Do we owe this custom to Indo-China and other countries adjacent to India

75 STUDIES IN THE HISTORY OF TAMBULA

Dhe properties of tobacco (~uni) are recorded in 7 verses on pp 17-18 At present some people chew tohacco powder along with tiimbUla or separately Verse 4 tells us that the use of tabacco is a remedy against diseases of the teeth (~~f1) and that it is a germicide ( fltif~EfI~mf )

The foregoing notes are sufficient to prove conclusively the use of Cur1Ja (lime) and Catechu (Khadir(l) as essential ingredients of tambUla for about 2000 years say from the first century of the Christian era upto the present day Further evidence on this topic has been gathered by me and I hope to record it in a subsequent paper

Appendix

(The hisory of the use of tiimbula in countries outside India must be studied critically with a view to understanding the spread of its use in India many years before CAD 400 In this connection I made inquiries of my friend Mademoiselle middot S lltclrpeles Secretary of Ecole Francaise dExtrerne-orient at Hanoi (Indo-China) and sent to her my paper on Indian Nut-Cracker She replied promptly in her letter of 16th March 1949 as follows -

Here is the name of the Nut-~Cracker (

Laotian - MITSANAK Vietnamese - DAO DAD

Cambodian - PRANAK

The habit of chewing betel is very tancient and current throughshyout the whole Peninsula and herewith a story about its origin found in old Vietnamese books translated into French It is Monsieur TRAN HAM TAN who took the trouble to find itollt

On getting the above story about the origin of tambUla I got it translated into English by my friend Dr R G Harshe Registrar Deccan College Research Institute Joona This Engiish translashytion is given below I take this opportunity of rec~rd~ng my best thanks to Miss Karpeles Mr Tran Ham Tan and Dr Harshe for their hearty co~operation with me in the present inquiry about the history of tiimbUla in Greater India

7 Prof R M Bhusari has drawn my attention to a genuine Marathi

word for the Nut-Craoker viz ~mUTr (Pophal-pho4a1ii) mentioned

in a Mahlanubhjava Marathi text of the 13th Century viz ~~(Edited

by H N Nene - ~~rc1 p 100)

16 P K GODE

The Life-story )f Tian and Lang (by Mr Tran Ham Tan Hanoi)

Formerly there lived a Prince Quan-Iang who had an imposing stature He received the title of Marquis of Cao as title of nobishylity Since then he took CfJO as the family name His two sons Tan and Lang resembled each other so much that one could not dismiddot tinguish the elder from the younger At the age of 17 or 18 they became orphans and went together to seek a preceptor for teaching them religion and philosophy The daughter of their preceptor Lun Huyen was also of 17 or 18 years of age When she saw the two brothers she fell in love with them Wishing to marry one of them she did not know as to who was the elder and who the younger of the two She gave both of them a single cup of meat-soup and one only pair of sticks in order to know the elder and the younger The junior passed all these things immediately to the senior She then requested her parents to marry her to the elder one The couple sometimes iived away from their little brother The younger brother felt it very much and saying to himself that his elder brother being in love with his wife had forgotten his brother on that account and without informing his elder brother he returned to the paternal house Coming to a deep stream atwhich there was no ferry he sat all alone and wept grievously and died then his dead-body was transformed into a tree the areca

When the elder one did not see any longer his YOW1ger brother he abandoned his wife in order to go in pursuit of him coming to the place where his younger brother had died he threw himself on the tree (ie areca) and died his dead body was transformed into a huge stone attached to the trunk of this tree When the young wife marked the disappearance of her husband she went in his pursuit coming to the place she learnt that her husqand was alshyready dead whereupon she thlew herself on the stone and emshybraced it till her death She was transformed into a Creeping stock which braided over the tree and the stone and from which were produced the odoriferous (sweet-smelling) leaves They were the leaves of the betel

Their parents (relatives) came there very much distressed and built a temple in their honour At the temple the passers-by offered to them the incense sticks praised their brotherly love and the conjugal duty of the victims

In the month of autumn the king Hung made a journey to this place Seeing this temple witil the tree surroimded by the creeping stalks he asked for its reason and being supplied with the

STUDIES IN THE HISTORY OF TAMBULA 77

information made the fruit and the leaf to ~brought to him He chewed them and spat its juice on the stone which was of a red colour and which emitted a good smell The king returned taking with him a fruit of areoa and a leaf of betel prepared with a little lime he chewed the betel and the areca~nut He even ordered that these newly discovered plants be planted in his kingdom and deshyclared that at marriages and feastsane ought middot to prepare a present consisting of the betel leaves and the nuts of arecaS

[This took pla-ce under the dynasty of the Hung-Vuong shy(2880-258 BC) 1

8 In India also we distribute Pim-Supiiri (betel-leaf and betel-nut) to all guests at marriages feasts and all social and cordial functions Do we owe this custom to Indo-China and other countries adjacent to India

16 P K GODE

The Life-story )f Tian and Lang (by Mr Tran Ham Tan Hanoi)

Formerly there lived a Prince Quan-Iang who had an imposing stature He received the title of Marquis of Cao as title of nobishylity Since then he took CfJO as the family name His two sons Tan and Lang resembled each other so much that one could not dismiddot tinguish the elder from the younger At the age of 17 or 18 they became orphans and went together to seek a preceptor for teaching them religion and philosophy The daughter of their preceptor Lun Huyen was also of 17 or 18 years of age When she saw the two brothers she fell in love with them Wishing to marry one of them she did not know as to who was the elder and who the younger of the two She gave both of them a single cup of meat-soup and one only pair of sticks in order to know the elder and the younger The junior passed all these things immediately to the senior She then requested her parents to marry her to the elder one The couple sometimes iived away from their little brother The younger brother felt it very much and saying to himself that his elder brother being in love with his wife had forgotten his brother on that account and without informing his elder brother he returned to the paternal house Coming to a deep stream atwhich there was no ferry he sat all alone and wept grievously and died then his dead-body was transformed into a tree the areca

When the elder one did not see any longer his YOW1ger brother he abandoned his wife in order to go in pursuit of him coming to the place where his younger brother had died he threw himself on the tree (ie areca) and died his dead body was transformed into a huge stone attached to the trunk of this tree When the young wife marked the disappearance of her husband she went in his pursuit coming to the place she learnt that her husqand was alshyready dead whereupon she thlew herself on the stone and emshybraced it till her death She was transformed into a Creeping stock which braided over the tree and the stone and from which were produced the odoriferous (sweet-smelling) leaves They were the leaves of the betel

Their parents (relatives) came there very much distressed and built a temple in their honour At the temple the passers-by offered to them the incense sticks praised their brotherly love and the conjugal duty of the victims

In the month of autumn the king Hung made a journey to this place Seeing this temple witil the tree surroimded by the creeping stalks he asked for its reason and being supplied with the

STUDIES IN THE HISTORY OF TAMBULA 77

information made the fruit and the leaf to ~brought to him He chewed them and spat its juice on the stone which was of a red colour and which emitted a good smell The king returned taking with him a fruit of areoa and a leaf of betel prepared with a little lime he chewed the betel and the areca~nut He even ordered that these newly discovered plants be planted in his kingdom and deshyclared that at marriages and feastsane ought middot to prepare a present consisting of the betel leaves and the nuts of arecaS

[This took pla-ce under the dynasty of the Hung-Vuong shy(2880-258 BC) 1

8 In India also we distribute Pim-Supiiri (betel-leaf and betel-nut) to all guests at marriages feasts and all social and cordial functions Do we owe this custom to Indo-China and other countries adjacent to India

STUDIES IN THE HISTORY OF TAMBULA 77

information made the fruit and the leaf to ~brought to him He chewed them and spat its juice on the stone which was of a red colour and which emitted a good smell The king returned taking with him a fruit of areoa and a leaf of betel prepared with a little lime he chewed the betel and the areca~nut He even ordered that these newly discovered plants be planted in his kingdom and deshyclared that at marriages and feastsane ought middot to prepare a present consisting of the betel leaves and the nuts of arecaS

[This took pla-ce under the dynasty of the Hung-Vuong shy(2880-258 BC) 1

8 In India also we distribute Pim-Supiiri (betel-leaf and betel-nut) to all guests at marriages feasts and all social and cordial functions Do we owe this custom to Indo-China and other countries adjacent to India